Who will add their name to the glittering honour roll in the Mandarin Chase?

Saturday: 2.25 Newbury
Coral Racing Club Mandarin Handicap Chase | 3m2f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

Considering it has not been part of the Pattern since 1989, the Mandarin holds a strong roll of honour. Its first winner after demotion was Party Politics, with Jodami a couple of years down the line. Over the last 15 years or so it has become one of the most reliably strong Class 3 handicaps in the calendar.

Young horses bound for top marathons often use the Mandarin as their first step into full-blooded handicaps. Since Carruthers won aged six in 2009 there have been four winners aged seven, two more aged six, two aged five and last year the four-year-old Saint Palais beat five-year-old Gericault Roque.

Even with 15 runners, this year's renewal looks odds against to live up to that sort of standard. Yet there are plenty with a bit more juice to be squeezed from them from a handicapping perspective.

Early favourite Laskalin would certainly count among them, such was the confidence with which he was ridden when winning at Ludlow on reappearance. He raced clear with and broke Volcano, who was beaten just a neck back at the same track last week. The caveat with Laskalin is a handful of others from Venetia Williams' yard who made impressive winning reappearances at around the same time quickly plateaued. Williams clearly had her string flying then and it may be prudent to downgrade expectations around horses like Laskalin continuing to improve.

Some of the most interesting types are easing in grade, rather than earning promotion by winning at a lower level. Undersupervision was placed in a Grade 3 at Cheltenham last time and, not for the first time, shaped as though a flatter track would suit as he often struggles with the changing pace at more undulating courses.

Killer Kane is generally interesting but only improved last season after a short break around this time and, personally, I am waiting to see notice of wind surgery appearing beside his name as he seems the type to benefit from one.

Maybe the most appealing of all is Grumpy Charley, who convincingly won a strong novices' handicap from a higher mark on this card last year. He has kept better company since, mostly Grade 3 handicaps with the odd Class 2 thrown in, so can be forgiven for coming up short.

Grumpy Charley has presumably been primed to peak at this time of year again – note that he held an entry in the Welsh National. Trainer Chris Honour is also quietly humming along: his four runners in December have form figures 2322. In a competitive if not red-hot Mandarin, Grumpy Charley should be on the shortlist.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Chris Honour: 'We had a long think about the Welsh National'

Grumpy Charley danced some pretty big dances as a novice over hurdles and fences, chasing after the likes of Appreciate It and Bravemansgame.

Bryan Carver pulled him up on his reappearance where a combination of fitness and heavy ground told but a return to the form of his first season over fences would make him a player in some of the biggest staying handicaps.

Grumpy Charley (left) gives chase to Bravemansgame at Newbury in FebruaryCredit: Edward Whitaker

"He would have been all right were it not for the heavy ground at Bangor the last day, which just caught hold of him a bit on his first time out," said trainer Chris Honour. "We had a long think about the Welsh National but I felt it might have been a step too far without a good run behind us.

"Hopefully, Newbury will get a bit more rain as soft would be ideal. Honour added: "He's dropped a couple of pounds in the handicap which will have helped and I think he’ll be competitive. He had excuses at the festivals last spring and fingers crossed he’ll be back to form here. We’re looking forward to it."

What they say

Nigel Twiston-Davies, trainer of Undersupervision
I've been very happy with him. The ground was a bit quick for him last time and hopefully it will be a bit softer at Newbury, while this trip will suit him.

Venetia Williams, trainer of Laskalin
It's a competitive race and it's a step up for him again but hopefully he will run well.

Jamie Snowden, trainer of Tallow For Coal
He's a young, improving horse, and has really come of age. He has a lot of weight and it's another step up, but he's progressive.

Tallow For Coal bids to take another step up the ladder in the Manadrin Chase at NewburyCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Charlie Longsdon, trainer of Almazhar Garde
It's a slight drop in grade for him. On bits and bobs of his old form he has got a chance of being in the money.

Ben Pauling, trainer of Le Breuil
He's better than he has been for a long time. He definitely left a lot of himself when he won the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham [in 2019]. He's not the force of old – he's not a 145-150 horse – but is still a very nice horse to have around.

Ben Case, trainer of Shanty Alley
He seems to have come out of his race well. It was just nice to get him back on track following his wind op. It seems to have helped him after he lost his way the season before having looked promising. Hopefully he can continue in that vein. The more rain the better and the track and trip should suit. Burrows Diamond, who beat him at Wetherby, finished second at Doncaster on Thursday so I don't think it was too bad a run.

Robert Walford, trainer of Foxboro
We've been thinking about going up in trip for a while as he's always strong at the end of his races. It's an experiment so we'll see. It's a hot race and I'm more hopeful than expectant.
Reporting by Scott Burton

Read Saturday's previews:

1.50 Newbury: 'I toyed with the idea of the Challow' - who's hopeful of a big handicap run?

2.10 Warwick: a win for Wynne? Keith Melrose expects a bold show from Moss in veterans' chase

2.32 Punchestown: 'I think he'll take some beating' - can in-form Barry Connell bag valuable pot?

3.00 Newbury: 'It's as good a Challow as I can recall' - but can anyone stop Hermes Allen?

3.35 Newbury: 'Natural' Nothin To Ask just one of host of progressive novices in hot handicap

Punchestown: Any Second Now starts out on road to Aintree return in quality conditions hurdle

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