It’s a huge week for Windsor racecourse and Windsor horse racing fans with not one, but two fixtures taking place. We’ve got another thrilling Monday evening card as usual and then five days later, it’s the first themed race night of the year.
Windsor’s Summer Opening Party on Saturday 25th is also an evening card, with live music after the last race hosted by TV/Radio/Film star Vernon Kay. First things first though, we are laser-focused on Monday’s action. An 8-race card kicks off at 17:06 and is screened live on Sky Sports Racing. Slickster, Matt Chapman, holds our hand once again through all the evening equine goings-on.
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Windsor Races – Monday, May 13th Review
Top jockey watchers were left a little saddened last Monday when the news came over the racecourse tannoy that William Buick’s scheduled first visit to Windsor for 2024 wasn’t going to happen after all. However, the current 2-time champion jockey is due to be in action at Windsor this week and we have our fingers crossed it actually happens this time.
Favourite backers weren’t feeling disheartened for too long last Monday though, as Hugo Palmer’s He’s Got Game got up to land the opener in the hands of Oisin Murphy. The 3-year-old son of Oasis Dream pipped William Haggas’ Global Asset to the post by a neck in a barnstorming finish to claim his maiden career victory. It made up for his 2nd place finish during the opening Windsor meeting of the year last month. It also maintained Hugo Palmer’s recent rich vein of form. The Cheshire handler having landed the Chester Cup three days earlier with Zoffee.
Bookies Take An Early Bashing
Two races in and the bookies were already saying their prayers as the 3/1 jolly, Storm Call, clinched a tight short-head victory in the following contest, a maiden fillies’ stakes event for two-year-olds. Danny Tudhope, who was saddling up at Windsor for the first time since last June, managed to hold off the fast-finishing Pouting, to give Karl Burke his third winner at the track of 2024.
The nerve-jangling finishes kept on coming, but in the 3rd race, the odds-on favourite, Lennox had to settle for second spot, much to the relief of the bookies’ brigade. Machete Beach kept on well inside the final furlong to record victory by a neck. It was the second win from two starts for Harry Charlton’s 3-year-old gelding. The market makers were back in the doldrums though after the 4th race, as Oisin Murphy riding his second winner of the evening, pushed the 6/4 favourite Cuban Melody clear to record a pleasing winning performance. It was the third horse of the evening who was getting off the mark for the first time.
Havana Grey’s Daughters Loving The Conditions
Following on from Cuban Melody’s success in the 4th race, another daughter of Havana Grey (the 2017 Molecomb Stakes winner at ‘Glorious’ Goodwood), Katey Kontent, landed the spoils in the very next contest. It was the first Fitzdares Sprint Series Qualifying event of the year and Clive Cox’s 4-year-old once again showed her liking for Windsor. She made it two wins from two starts at the Berkshire track following a victory over the flying 5 furlongs back in May 2022.
Another previous Windsor winner, Richard P Smith, defied the tag of being topweight to record victory in the 6th race on the card, a handicap for 4-year-olds plus. Saffie Osborne pinged Ed Dunlop’s 5-year-old out of the box and was always in control. Richard P Smith stood firm to see off late challenges from David Loughnane’s Partisan Hero and Alan King’s Loughville.
The Roars Ring Out For Quietness
The bookies were brought back down to earth again with a bump in the penultimate race on the card. Marcus Tregoning’s Quietness was a warm order in the market and the punting posse weren’t left disappointed. On an evening of frantic finishes, 7 of the 8 races being won by ½ length or less, the 4-year-old held off Hughie Morrison’s Budding to record a first career win at the fifth time of asking.
Favourite backers would be denied a 5th winning jolly on the card in the last race as Recon Mission just failed to get home. Marco Botti’s Inspired Knowhow defiantly pouncing on the line to record victory by a nose. It was pleasing for Hollie Doyle fans, with the saddle star finally notching her first Windsor winner of 2024 at the 14th time of asking. It was quite the night for getting off the mark in general, with 5 of the 8 evening victors being first-time winners.
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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
Windsor Races – Monday May 20th Preview
There’s a good blend of old and young, raw and experienced, ordinary and unique at Windsor this Monday evening. Only one horse in the first three races has been seen by Windsor racegoers before (17:06 – Lucentio). However, there are plenty of old equine favourites making an appearance during the remainder of the card.
Rod Millman’s Amazonian Dream is in action for a 10th time at the Berkshire course in the 18:40 handicap. Another horse hitting the 10th race mark at Windsor is Ed de Giles’ Treacherous in the 19:10, which is the second qualifying race of this year’s Fitzdares Sprint Series event. If you thought those milestones were impressive, just wait til the 19:40 handicap for 4-year-olds plus. Michael Attwater’s Lawn Ranger takes to the Windsor track for the 16th time and John & Rhys Flint’s Carp Kid amazingly enters the stalls for the 19th time here. We wish both 9-year-old legends the best of luck.
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Hot Jockey Spots
As mentioned, we are hoping to get the first belated glimpse of the current British champion jockey, William Buick, at Windsor this year, this Monday. Get down the track early though, as the 2023 Leading Windsor Rider’s scheduled mounts for the evening all come in the first five races: 17:06 – Freds Mate, 18:10 – Aurora’s Beauty & 19:10 – Lil Guff. The latter two are both in the top-3 in the betting currently in those races and look to be Buick’s best rides.
The following riders are also saddling up for the first time at Windsor this year: Liam Wright, Sam James, Mia Nicholls, Oliver Searle, Tyler Heard, Kieran O’Neill, Sean Bowen, Frederick Larson, Taylor Fisher, Joe Bradnam, George Wood and Ethan Jones. We’d like to wish a warm Windsor welcome to all those jockeys too.
The current 2024 Windsor leading riders are all in action again too this Monday. Rossa Ryan sets the pace on 4 wins, with both Oisin Murphy and Saffie Osborne chasing hard on 3 victories. Three-time British champion jockey, Oisin Murphy, who grabbed a brace of winners last Monday, has another very busy Monday in store, with seven rides pencilled in.
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Trainers Returning To Windsor After Lengthy Absences
Aidan O’Brien’s son and former Classic-winning jockey, Joseph O’Brien, sends one over from Ireland to Windsor for the first time since 2021. His 2-year-old Lady With The Lamp, has Oisin Murphy on board in the 17:40 Maiden Stakes and could be one to keep an eye on. Henrietta Knight returns to Windsor after an even longer layoff from the Berkshire track. The West Lockinge handler, who famously trained Best Mate to three consecutive Cheltenham Gold Cup successes, hasn’t had a runner at Windsor since 2005. Knight, who returned to training last year, having retired in 2012, runs Motazzen in the 19:40 11.5 furlong handicap.
Race-By-Race Preview
17:06
The only previous runner in the opener with Windsor experience is the Gosden’s Lucentio. The 3-year-old colt seemed to appreciate the soft underhoof conditions during the Bank Holiday Monday meeting a couple of weeks ago. The going will be completely different this Monday and there are doubts over whether he’ll handle the firmer conditions. I prefer to be with Hughie Morrison’s Caprelo, who recorded his first career success on the All-Weather at Kempton last month. He’s the son of Ulysses, the 2017 Coral-Eclipse & Juddmonte International Stakes winner, and should appreciate the going.
17:40
With only a quarter of the field having race track experience, it will be worth keeping an eye on any market moves during the course of the day. Of the 2-year-olds who have raced previously, Clive Cox’s Sergio Parisse should appreciate the step up to 6 furlongs. He has a good draw, has Rossa on top and his breeding suggests he’ll perform when the hooves rattle too. A couple of newcomers who might run big races at big prices are Marcus Tregoning’s Corriamo and George Scott’s Toy Soldier.
18:10
Another Maiden Stakes to peruse over, this time for older types. I think Simon & Ed Crisford’s Raheena could be a good each-way shout. He made a pleasing performance on debut at Newmarket last August, finishing well, behind some good types after a green start. Beatrice Shilling should appreciate the drop down in distance after a recent run over 10 furlongs at Sandown.
Will The Boatman Cruise To Victory?
18:40
David Evans’ Cuban Breeze has performed positively at Windsor over 6 furlongs on good to firm previously in her career and could go well again. She’s not been in action since December though and my preference is for Richard Hughes’ The Thames Boatman. He’s had some solid performances on the All-Weather this year and the progeny of Havana Grey impressed on similar conditions to this last week.
19:10
We had a very tight finish in the first Fitzdares Sprint Series qualifier last week and there could be another thriller in the second qualifier here. Ed de Giles’ Treacherous is running at Windsor for a 10th occasion. Only one of those nine runs were over 5 furlongs (all the rest over 6 furlongs), but he finished an impressive 2nd in that particular race, when the going was good to firm too. However, Lil Guff is the selection. William Buick takes the ride on the Kubler’s 5-year-old, who has finished 2nd and 3rd in two previous races over 5 furlongs here. The going on both those days were very similar to today.
19:40
I always have a soft spot for the Windsor warriors and Carp Kid and Lawn Ranger are definitely two of those, with 33 previous runs at the Berkshire track between them. My pick in this 4-year-old plus handicap though is Lexington Knight. He’s Richard Hannon’s sole runner on the card and has finished 1st and 2nd in two previous Windsor runs. He could battle it out with Saligo Bay once again, as he did in this contest last year, but race fitness could be the key this time.
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Does Galactic Glow Tickle Your Fancy?
20:10
Joe Tickle’s Galactic Glow could run another big race here at Windsor. It’s the 7-year-old’s 8th appearance at the Berkshire track and he hasn’t finished worse than 4th in three previous runs over 10 furlongs over good to firm. His main danger may come from Dean Ivory’s Lost In Time, who could have been in with contention here last August, if not being hampered 2 furlongs out.
20:40
John Jenkins’ Iftikhaar has been there or thereabouts on recent runs on the All-Weather. He’s not been in turf action since racing at Beverley back in September 2022, but if his breeding is anything to go by, he should react well over this trip and going. Mujid is another who may be in the mix.
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
