Firstly, a shout out to those brave souls who made it through the whole 8-race Bank Holiday card at Windsor races last Monday and who are probably still drying off now. It appeared at one stage that the heavens had opened for eternity, but thankfully the last couple of races were able to be viewed brolly-free.
There were plenty of children (small and big) who still enjoyed every second of the equine (and non-equine) action. Even Peppa Pig would have been in her element, with all the muddy puddles to jump and squelch in. We’re back in the usual evening Windsor routine this Monday, with an 8-race card kicking off at 16:30. All races will be screened live as per usual by Matt ‘Chappers’ Chapman and the Sky Sports Racing crew.
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Windsor Races – Monday, May 6th Review
Charlie Mason kicked off the Bank Holiday proceedings with victory in the 3-year-old handicap. It looked like Kiss and Run might finally break her Windsor duck at the fifth time of asking, but Rossa Ryan pushed Tony Carroll’s gelding clear defiantly in the final furlong to claim a cosy 2 ¼ length success in the end. Charlie Mason is just one of Mayson’s progeny who has impressed over recent weeks at Windsor. One other being On Edge, but we’ll come on to him shortly.
With the rain intensifying, 13 went to post for the second race, the Division 1 of the Gabby Fullbrook Memorial Novice Stakes over 8 furlongs. James Owen’s Usuario Amigo had weakened in the market but still went off joint jolly with Andrew Balding’s Haya. It was the latter who would perform better, though she would remain a maiden, having to settle for second spot behind Charles Hills’ Miletus, who led from start to finish. It was a quickfire double for Rossa Ryan in the saddle.
The Gosden’s Three-Year-Olds Continue To Shine
The first runner of the day for HM The King & HM The Queen, Gilded Water, also ran admirably in the second race, finishing third, just a nose behind Haya. Those eagle-eyed pedigree observers would have spotted that Galileo was the grandsire of both Miletus and Gilded Water. The 2001 Epsom Derby and Irish Derby winner would have continued success in the races that followed, as he was also the grandsire of both the 3rd race and 4th race winners (Galyx & Lucentio).
Jack Channon’s Galyx was heavily punted in to 10/11, before the start of the 15:10 (the Division 2 of the Gabby Fullbrook Memorial Novice Stakes). The 3-year-old justified favouritism in style, comfortably opening his career account at the second time of asking. For the second race running, the Royal representative (Anglepoise) would finish an eye-catching third. Lucentio continued the Gosden’s rich vein of form in 3-year-old events at Windsor. The Too Darn Hot colt followed up on the previous week’s successes of Lyric and Fighter Command when winning the 15:45 handicap at a canter.
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Channon Nets A Brace
Jack Channon grabbed his second winner of the soggy afternoon with Tiriac recording an impressive 2 ¼ length victory over recent Windsor winner, Snuggle, in the 16:20 handicap for horses aged 4-years and older. The ground had officially changed from soft to heavy for the 5th race onwards and the son of the Sixties Icon relished the underhoof conditions. He had finished 6th over the same distance three weeks earlier at Windsor when the going was good.
Sixth race winner, Calm Waters, was another who improved on a previous Windsor run out this season. Rod Millman’s 3-year-old finished a close second to Hatadora seven days earlier but got compensation in the 16:55 handicap. She saw off the fast-finishing Theworldsnotenough who just failed to double-up after breaking his career duck two weeks earlier at the Berkshire track.
Father & Daughter Combo Edge Out On Edge
The father (trainer) and daughter (jockey) combination of Phil McEntee & Grace McEntee claimed the penultimate race on the card with Jacquelina. The very active 5-year-old who was racing in her 10th contest of 2024, just held off a very spirited fightback from the favourite On Edge. The Christopher Mason trainee had also finished a very close second two weeks earlier, during the opening evening Windsor card. With the weather much improved, Storm Valley produced the most dominant display of the day in the final race on the card. Matt Crawley’s 4-year-old, who was racing on ground softer than good for only the second time in his life, stormed clear to win by a cosy five lengths in the hands of Callum Shepherd.
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Windsor Races – What’s Still To Come In 2024
Some of the remaining highlights this year are as follows:
June
3rd – 80s Retro Explosion
10th – Irish Night
17th – Summer Garden Party
29th – Ladies Day
December
15th – The Return of NH Racing
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Windsor Races – Monday May 13th Preview
With hardly a drop of rain falling in the Windsor area since the Bank Holiday deluge, the ground has shifted from heavy to the firm-side of good within a week. Expectations are that the official going will be ‘Good to Firm’ for this week’s race action with Monday’s murky outlook now much brighter, with no rain forecasted until later in the evening or after racing now. The feature race on this week’s card is the 18:35 Fitzdares Sprint Series Handicap, the 5th event of the evening. It’s the first of 10 qualifiers taking place over the coming weeks, leading to the valuable £75k Final on the 8th August.
A Warm Windsor Welcome To Some Old Favourites
Talking of the Fitzdares Sprint Series, last year’s Final winner and Windsor stalwart Indian Creak returns to action at the Berkshire track once again this Monday. The Jack Channon trainee is making his 13th racecourse appearance at Windsor, in the 18:35. That victory in the Sprint Series Final last August was his 5th victory at the course and the last time we saw him in action here. He made his Windsor debut as a 2-year-old in June 2019 but didn’t break his duck at the course til a year later when winning a 3yo+ handicap in August 2020. Three of his five wins have come on ground on the soft-side of good, though he did win a Sprint Series Qualifier on the firmish ground during 2022.
Not to be outdone, in the following race on the card, the 19:05, Michael Attwater’s Lawn Ranger is amazingly strutting his stuff at Windsor for the 16th occasion. The 9-year-old, like Indian Creak, has notched five wins previously at the Berkshire course. Lawn Ranger kicked off the start of his love affair with Windsor way back in August 2018. His first success at the track came the following year when winning at 4yo+ handicap in May 2019. Like Indian Creak again, most of Lawn Ranger’s wins have come on softish conditions, but he did win on good to firm back in 2019.
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The Hottest Jockeys Are In Town
All the saddle stars who finished in the top-5 of the 2023 British Flat Jockeys Championship are in action at Windsor this Monday. The current two-time British champion, William Buick, who also topped the Windsor wins list in 2023, is making his 2024 bow at the Berkshire track this Monday. He has two rides in total, both for Charlie Hills (16:30 – Cadogan Gardens & 18:05 – Jersey Rocs). The other top 5 Championship finishers from last year (and Windsor regulars this season); Oisin Murphy, Rossa Ryan, Tom Marquand and Hollie Doyle are all in action too. Danny Tudhope also eye-catching saddles-up. He only had one ride at Windsor during the whole of 2023. He has two rides this Monday, both for Karl Burke (17:00 – Storm Call & 18:05 – Federal Envoy).
Windsor Race-By-Race Preview
16:30
He’s Got Game was doing his best work when finishing second after pulling hard in a 3yo handicap at Windsor’s opening meeting of the year, 5 weeks ago. He has some good form behind him, including finishing 6th behind the 2000 Guineas 4th, Ghostwriter, at Ascot last year. Hugo Palmer’s 3-year-old should come on for that first run of 2024 and is expected to impress again. Charlie Hills’ Cadogan Gardens, with William Buick in the saddle, looks a possible each-way shout.
17:00
Woodhay Whisper is another runner looking to go one better at Windsor, following a second place finish at the track. He was behind Kaadi in that race a month ago and looks to be facing another Karl Burke good thing in Storm Call this time. However, I’m going to side with Tom Ward’s 2-year-old here. The Lambourn trainer has been in good nick at Windsor this year and the racecourse run-out last month may give him the edge. Nad Alshiba Green could be one for the each-way merchants.
Master Builder Looks To Get The Job Done
17:35
Master Builder is yet another bridesmaid looking to grab the spotlight and become the bride this time. David Menuisier’s 3-year-old grey recovered well after a poor start to finish second behind John Gosden’s Lyric at Windsor a fortnight ago. There was a little juice about in the ground that day and the firmer conditions this Monday should suit the son of Mastercraftsman. Rossa Ryan takes the ride this time as Oisin Murphy is aboard Andrew Balding’s Thyer. I also expect a big run from him, but he may be too short for an each-way punt.
18:05
Hector is the only previous Windsor runner in the field. Despite running a huge race at big odds two weeks ago, there might be a few too good for the George Baker trainee. I like the look of both Cuban Melody and Jersey Rocs in this and I’m swaying towards the former, as the latter has had his issues and I’m not brave enough to trust him (so he probably romps it !!!)
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Indian Creak Kicks Off The Defence Of His Sprint Crown
18:35
It’s the first Qualifier of this year’s Windsor Sprint Series. Defending Sprint Series winner, Indian Creak, returns to action at Windsor for the first time since being crowned champion. There are a couple of others who I prefer though here. Tom Ward’s Lady Dreamer ran three times at Windsor last year and was placed every time. Two of those races were run over good to firm conditions. Clive Cox’s Katey Kontent ran over similar conditions in her only course appearance back in 2022, when scooting to a 4 ¼ length success.
19:05
I’d be pleased as punch if Windsor stalwart Lawn Ranger does the business (similar to Indian Creak in the previous race), but again I believe a few may be too good here. Desfondado impressed in firmish conditions at Windsor last May and should be there or thereabouts again. Hollie Doyle is still looking her first Windsor winner of the year and this could be the one at the 10th time of asking. At bigger odds, David Loughnane’s Partisan Hero might be worth a squeak to claim a place.
Another Mrembo-able Performance?
19:40
Free Speech is back in Windsor action, just a week after finishing second in a 5-runner contest at the track, behind the impressive Lucentio. The underhoof conditions are totally different on this occasion and the Ed Dunlop filly didn’t impress on her only previous run out on firm going. Jonathan Portman’s Mrembo could be in with a shout. She had two eye-catching runs at Windsor last year when the hooves were rattling and was a winner of one of them. Olivia Tubb has a good relationship with the 5-year-old and takes the ride again.
20:15
Recon Mission didn’t impress in two previous Windsor appearances, and I’ll be taking the Tony Carroll 8-year-old on. Michael Attwater’s Cabeza De Llave, Tom Ward’s Zing Up & Gary & Josh Moore’s Cloudy Breeze have all ran well at Windsor previously and should like the going. My preference is for Zing Up.
Like every Windsor meeting, all races will be screened live on Sky Sports Racing. Good Luck All!!! Let us know your Windsor selections by clicking on ‘Comments’ under the main article title at the top of the piece.
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Image Credit: Deposit Photos
