It’s busy, busy, busy at Windsor Races at the moment, and we love, love, love it!!! We had the Royal After Party on Monday evening, which was just gone. We’ve got Ladies’ Day this Saturday, and it’s ABBA Night this coming Monday. It was too hot for some on Monday, with the marquee areas rammed and a constant and lengthy queue for the much-appreciated free iced water.
For those who remember the cold, wet, blowy racing afternoons back in April, there’s no complaining about the current weather conditions, though. With the sun set to be blazing again on Saturday, it’s the perfect opportunity for the frock-loving fillies to go to town on Lady’s Day. The 7-race card gets underway at 14:10.
Windsor Races – Monday, June 24th Review
We kicked off the equine action with the spotlight on a selection of up-and-coming young saddle stars, as the Apprentice Training Race Series arrived at Windsor Racecourse. Two experienced Windsor campaigners were in the line-up for the 6-furlong contest, Bama Lama (7 previous runs) and Firenze Rosa (22 previous runs). It was Rod Millman’s Bama Lama who was looking good for a third win at the track, but Zaman Daar finished with a perfectly timed late rattle to snatch victory. The first-ever career success for Ismail Mohammed’s 3-year-old, for the 7th time asking. It also marked the first win of 2024 for apprentice jockey Ryan Kavanagh.
We were guaranteed another first-time winner in the second race of the card, another 6-furlong event, as all eight 2-year-olds were making their first racecourse appearances. The market tends to do the talking in these type of events and the first three home were indeed the top-3 in the betting, however not quite in the order expected. If only punting life was that easy !! Market leader, Cuban Girl, was prominent but lacked the finish when required and finished third. It was left to Ralph Beckett’s Priapos and the Cole’s White Chapel Road to battle it out. The Beckett yard was buzzing at Royal Ascot, and their runners continued to fly. Despite running a bit green in the last furlong, Priapos ran on well to grab the victory. It was Hector Crouch’s first success at the track this year.
Them Glory-Hunting Gosden Three-Year-Olds
If you’ve been following the Gosdens and their 3-year-old runners at Windsor this year, you’ll have bulging wallets (and purses). The winning list includes the likes of Cat Ninja, Fighter Command, Lyric and Lucentio. We’ll say more about Lucentio later. It was the Gosden’s pair of Westridge and Roi De France who ended up dominating the 3rd race on the card, a 3-year-old novice event over a mile. Roi De France had been attracting all the pre-race money and with owner Bjorn Nielsen in attendance, the money just kept coming. The son of Sea The Stars eventually went off the 2/5 jolly. However, it was stablemate Westridge who dug the deepest in an absorbing duel between the Gosden runners, and he claimed a short-head success. The front pair had pulled almost 4 lengths clear of Ralph Beckett’s Echo Lima in third.
We were back in Fitzdares Sprint Series Qualifying mode for race 4, and with a couple dropping out, only six went to post. Tom Clover’s Jumbeau had been well supported following her success in a Class 2 contest at Windsor at the end of May, but despite another solid performance, she’d have to settle for the runners-up spot on this occasion. It was Rod Millman’s Woolhampton, who had finished 4th in a previous Sprint Series Qualifier a fortnight earlier, who took the victory. The 4-year-old filly benefitted from the 5lb weight allowance that she received from having Oliver Searle on top. It was the first Windsor win of the year for the apprentice jockey, who just missed out on breaking his duck in the opener aboard Bama Lama.
So Obsessed Calms Favourite Backers Fraying Nerves
Four races in, and not a single favourite had obliged. So favourite backers were yelping with joy when So Obsessed stopped the rot and got the jolly’s job done in the 5th race, a handicap for 3-year-olds. Oisin Murphy was also a relieved man, as he recorded his first saddle success of the evening, which took him level at the top of the Windsor Jockeys’ Championship with Rossa Ryan, on 10 wins apiece. Marco Botti’s So Obsessed took a keen hold and led early and was never headed. The filly was always in control, despite some late attention from Mike Murphy & Michael Keady’s Sir Bolton, who finished ½ length back in second spot.
We return to Lucentio—just one of a growing list of Gosden 3-year-old good-things who’ve sparkled at Windsor this year. The Too Darn Hot colt went into the sixth race on Monday aiming for a quickfire Windsor hat-trick following two wins at the track back in May. He looked to be going easily once again in the hands of Kieran Shoemark but was put under increasing pressure in the final couple of furlongs by the Royal runner, Reaching High. The rest of the field was left eating the leading duo’s dust. Lucentio was always doing just enough, using the rail to guide himself home to clinch the hat-trick. It also secured an evening double for Kieran Shoemark, which moved him into 3rd spot in the Windsor Jockeys’ table on 5 wins.
Hector’s Heroics In The Saddle
Hector Crouch followed Kieran Shoemark’s example and doubled up for the evening in the final race aboard Michael Bell’s Wootton’s Jewel. Despite having his first run since September, he held his nerve and showed a determined spirit to shrug off Andrew Balding’s Star Runner, the 11/8 favourite. Star Runner had to settle for the runner-up spot once again, following a second-place finish on the All-Weather at Chelmsford last month.
Windsor Races – What’s Still To Come In 2024
Some of the remaining highlights this year are as follows:
December
15th – The Return of NH Racing
Windsor Races – Saturday, June 29th Preview
Like the previous Saturday meeting at Windsor, back in May, the regular Berkshire track saddle hotshots are plying their trades elsewhere. Oisin Murphy is in action at Newmarket, and Rossa Ryan heads across the Irish Sea to the Curragh. It again gives the less well-known jockeys their moment in the Windsor spotlight. Saffie Osborne, currently joint-4th in the Windsor Jockeys’ Championship with 4 wins, is due to ride in 6 of the 7 races on Saturday and will be hopeful of bagging a win or few. Her best opportunity on paper appears to be in Sir Michael Stoute’s Believe In Stars in 15:52.
It’s the up-and-coming young saddle stars who grab the attention first-up this Saturday in the 14:10 3-year-old apprentice handicap. Some of those such as Rose Dawes and Luke Catton are starting to become Windsor regulars, however Sam Feilden returns to the track for the first time since 2002 and Taryn Langley is making her first ever appearance at the track. We wish her a warm welcome and all the best. Don’t forget that after the official last race, 17:32, there’s an Arab race to follow, plus plenty of dancing and partying on the lawn. The 90s Explosion – The Essential Concert Collection provides the tunes.
Race-By-Race Preview
14:10
It’s hard not to take your eyes off a Gosden 3-year-old, even in an apprentice handicap. Their yard has been firing them out at Windsor, and I expect a strong showing from All Too Well. She’s been struggling to make her mark in Class 5 contests but may find life a little easier in this lower race category. Luke Catton takes the reins and becomes a confident rider on this track. He’s yet to make his mark this year, but won three times at Windsor last year, with two of those successes coming over the same maximum trip as today’s race. Kinetic could be the danger. She gave a good account of herself when 4th over 10 furlongs here earlier this month. This further step-up in trip may benefit her even more.
14:42
A bunch of 2-year-olds grab the spotlight in race 2. Hugo Palmer’s Dubai Bling is the only runner to have a notched success with those who have raced before, and his win at Haydock definitely sets a good standard. He’s likely to improve on that debut run and will take all the beating. Of those who haven’t seen a racecourse as yet, Richard Hannon’s Wheels Of Fire could be a contender to make the frame.
The Gosdens Go Gunning For Further Success
15:17
The Gosdens send out Stanage for this 3-year-old (plus) novice stakes. All the runners are 3-year-olds, though. His third-place finish last time out at Doncaster looks like a decent performance. The second-place horse, King’s Gamble, has since finished an eye-catching 5th in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot.
15:52
The smallest field of the day goes to post for the 4th race on the card, a Class 2 handicap for 4-year-olds and older. Sir Michael Stoute has had five runners at Windsor this year, but he is still looking to break his duck, so this could be the occasion. His Believe In Stars returns to track action for the first time since November, but he has some solid form in the book. The oldest horse in the line-up, 6-year-old True Courage, has performed well here before and maybe the main opposition.
Coup De Force To Show Her Strength
16:25
It’s another handicap to get your teeth into, and plenty of the field have been here and done it before. James Tate’s The Amazon returns to Windsor following an emphatic 4-length win at the track at the end of April. Conditions are vastly different today, and his last run out on the 15th of 15 at Haydock raises concerns. My pick is Coup De Force, who has recorded back-to-back 3rd place finishes at Windsor this year. She could make her mark here. I also expect a good run from Temple Bruer at a bigger price, whose breeding suggests will give a good account of himself.
17:00
Back over the maximum Windsor trip for the penultimate race of the afternoon. Ralph Beckett’s runners have been in good form and his Allonsy has been there or thereabouts all season, including being beaten into second-spot by a short-head on his Windsor debut in April. This could be the day that the 3-year-old filly grabs her first career victory.
17:32
And so to the last, which could be the trickiest contest of the lot. Notre Mission had some decent form over good-to-firm going last summer and here at Windsor the summer previous to that, so could enjoy the conditions this afternoon. Sean D Bowen takes the reins and takes 5lbs off too.
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
