Mandour

Mandour is a horse worth noting now after a career-best run to finish a close third in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp on Sunday.

Settled in sixth of the seven runners, Alain de Royer-Dupre's colt was further back than ideal around the home turn, ceding a couple of lengths to the eventual first and second, Maxios and Planteur. Held in by Beauty Parlour on his outside early in the home straight, he wasn’t quite going well enough to take the gap when Beauty Parlour shifted to her left, he had to switch back towards the inside. Once there, however, and given a little racing room, he finished best of all to finish a close-up third, nearest at the finish. He would have been second in another few strides.

Princess Zahra's colt is lightly-raced, he fared much better than the other two four-year-olds in the race. Always highly-regarded, he missed most of last season, and this was just his second run back. On his first run this term, he won a conditions race at Longchamp at the end of April in which he beat last year’s St James’ Palace Stakes runner-up and 2000 Guineas third Hermival. A son of Smart Strike out of the top-class mare Mandesha – winner of the Group 1 Prix Vermeille and the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera – he should be even better stepped up in trip. He won over a mile and a quarter early last season as a three-year-old, and he should be most effective over at least that far. It is interesting that he has been given an entry for the Eclipse, he could be a fair way under the radar should he make the trip to Sandown for that.

26th May 2013

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