It lashed it down last Monday. Thankfully for the hardy lot who endured the soaking at Windsor Races, there were lashings of rum on offer too. It was ‘Rum n Reggae’ night, and the festivities continued well after the last race. The music-themed occasions continue at Windsor Races, with ‘Soul & Motown’ night next up, this Monday. Bizzi Dixon, of ‘The Voice’ fame, will be belting out classic hits from the 60s and 70s with his band on the Paddock Lawn once the equine action is over.
Windsor Races – Monday July 15th Review
When the stalls flung open for the first race of the ‘Rum n Reggae’ meeting card, racegoers were still saying their prayers that the forecasted rain would hopefully pass Windsor Racecourse by. The going for the opening contest, a five-furlong handicap for 2-year-olds, was good-to-firm and Clive Cox’s The Dragon King went off the 11/4 joint jolly, along with Richard Hannon’s Siegen. Both performed very differently. Siegen fluffed his lines at the start and never got into the contest. Whereas Rossa Ryan always had The Dragon King in a prominent spot and held off a determined finish from Storm Call to clinch victory. It was the second win on the bounce for the son of Invincible Army.
Another 2-year-old son of Invincible Army stepped up to the plate in the following race, in the shape of Aparajeo. The training/riding combo of Clive Cox and Rossa Ryan hooked up again on the unraced colt and once again it proved to be a winning partnership. Despite running green and hanging badly, Aparajeo held off challenges from another debutant Hoodie Hoo and from the odds-on favourite, Bold Impact, to break his duck at the first time of asking. Back-to-back saddle successes meant that Rossa Ryan joined Oisin Murphy at the top of the Windsor Jockeys’ Championship on 12 wins apiece.
Odds-On Shots Fail To Hit The Target
Favourite backers were hoping that another odds-on jolly, Under Siege, would help ease the pain of Bold Impact’s loss. Like those who had prayed for no rain, their dreams were dashed though. Under Siege was slow out of the stalls and despite some late headway eventually finished third, but was never troubling the winner. Danny Tudhope later commented that he had picked up an injury exiting the stalls on Under Siege. He wasn’t able to ride for the remainder of the evening following the incident.
Willie Haggas’ Min Huna claimed the third race honours. Front-running expert Tom Marquand took control early on, on the winless filly. Min Huna kept on well to notch her maiden success when put under some pressure by Marquand’s nearest and dearest, Hollie Doyle, aboard Shamran.
Oisin Murphy was chomping at the bit to get into action after seeing his main Windsor rival, Rossa Ryan, grab an early brace. The 3-time champion jockey took his opportunity with aplomb in the 4th race on the card, which like the previous event, was a novice stakes for 3-year-olds and over. He was partnered with the Gosden’s Roi De France again, who he had finished second on at stingy odds of 2/5, three weeks earlier at Windsor Races.
Roi De France would go off odds-on favourite once again (10/11). On this occasion though, Oisin Murphy didn’t waste any time and stamped his authority on proceedings early. The Sea The Stars’ colt ran out a convincing 2 ¾ length winner. Willie Haggas’ Northern Ruler made eye-catching late headway to finish second. It’s now 13-12 in Oisin Murphy’s favour, in the race to be the leading 2024 Windsor jockey.
The Ground Softens As The Rain Falls And Falls
The rain finally started to take its effect as the going switched from good-to-firm to good for the 5th race of the meeting, which was the latest qualifier in the Fitzdares Sprint Series event. Tom Marquand also wanted his share of the jockey spotlight and he grabbed his second win of the evening on Stuart Williams’ Expert Agent at lumpy odds of 40/1. Tom didn’t use his front-running tactics this time, however, as Expert Agent weaved his way from the back and finished strongly. It marked the 4-year-old’s first win since April 2023 and his first-ever win on turf.
The handicap action continued in race 6 with the older types taking precedence once again. Eve Johnson Houghton’s 5-year-old, Cabinet Of Clowns, who had finished second on his Windsor Races debut last October went one better on this occasion. Despite taking an early tug and Charles Bishop forced to get serious with him a couple of furlongs from home, the grey held his nerve to see off a late flourish from Great Chieftain.
God Of Fire Lights Up A Murky Windsor
Despite the relentless rain, punters kept piling the pounds on the Kubler’s God Of Fire in the penultimate race on the card. The 4-year-old didn’t disappoint the masses, as he clocked up his third win in the space of just 10 days. Will Buick had him in a prominent spot nice and early and he never looked back. Buick, who has struggled to reach the heights of last year at Windsor, when he topped the jockeys’ standings, positioned God Of Fire near the rail a couple of furlongs from home and he bolted clear by over 4 lengths.
Half an hour or so later, in the final race of the evening, Will Buick became the third saddle star of the meeting to notch a brace of winners. He was aboard Due To Henry and it was another stress-free success for the current British flat champion jockey. It was also a second Windsor winner of the evening for Oxfordshire handler, Eve Johnson Houghton. Despite hanging left in the now soft going and being ridden in the final few furlongs, Due To Henry had plenty in the locker and stretched out to win by a cosy 2 ¾ lengths.
Windsor Races – What’s Still To Come In 2024
Some of the remaining highlights this year are as follows:
October
14th – Final Flat Meeting
December
15th – The Return of NH Racing
Windsor Races – Monday, July 22nd Preview
Time is running out for those looking to claim a possible spot in next month’s Fitzdares’ Sprint Series finale (August 12th) at Windsor. Two qualifying heats remain, including this Monday’s contest, which is due off at 19:20. 38 horses have met the qualifying criteria so far, having finished in the top-6 of a qualifying heat. Of those 38, four were 2023 Sprint Series finalists, including defending champ, Indian Creak. As well as Indian Creak, Jack Channon also has Miss Attitude in the qualified group.
Other trainers who also have multiple qualifiers in the Sprint Series event to date include George Baker (Danger Alert & Get It), Jamie Osborne (Executive Decision & Many A Star), Richard Hannon (Dapper Valley & Gisburn), Rod Millman (Amazonian Dream & Woolhampton) & Tom Clover (Jumbeau & Rocking Ends). George Boughey has the most qualifiers under his belt currently with Navello, Salvuccio & Thunder Moor all in the mix. Channon, Baker & Boughey all have runners in this week’s 9th qualifying event too, so they’ll be hoping to add to their potential final plans.
A Two-Horse Race In The Windsor Jockeys’ Championship
Oisin Murphy and Rossa Ryan continue to go at it hammer and tong in the race to be Windsor’s top jockey this year. Rossa clinched back-to-back victories in the first two races last Monday evening to draw level at the top. However, Oisin Murphy crept back ahead with a win aboard the Gosden’s Roi De France. The 3-time British champion jockey is scheduled to have four rides to Rossa Ryan’s one this Monday, so he’ll be looking to consolidate and possibly extend that advantage.
Windsor Race-By-Race Preview
17:18
I expect both Spirited Dancer and Ruff Justice to be in the mix, but my preference is for James Owen’s Bretton Wood. He may have finished plumb last in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, but James Owen’s runners have run well at Windsor this year and the 2-year-old has cracking pedigree, with Frankel as the sire and Oasis Dream as the dam sire. This could be the drop-down in class that he’s needed and may be worth an each-way nibble.
17:50
Another 2-year-old contest, this time they are either winless or making their racecourse debuts. Of the newcomers, Marcus Tregoning’s Little She caught my eye. A couple of Invisible Army’s progeny were victorious last Monday evening, and this could be another useful sort of his. Galileo is the dam sire too, which tends to be a positive on the whole. I’m hopeful he’ll make the frame at least. Fleetwater was doing all her best work at the end of her debut run at Newbury earlier this month and should come on leaps and bounds for the Stan Moore mob.
Will It Be Izipizi For the Gosdens Again At Windsor?
18:20
It was one runner, one win for the Gosden team last week, as they consolidated their lead at the top of the 2024 Windsor Trainers’ Championship. They’ve had the Midas touch with the 3-year-olds in particular at Windsor Races This year and Izipizi looks another good sort. She’s had two solid second-place finishes over a mile and this step up to 10 furlongs could see her produce her best performance yet. Calumet looks to be her main rival, but one at bigger odds that could run well is Robert Eddery’s The Hun, who has the classy apprentice on board, Sean D Bowen.
18:50
I’m expecting Richard Hannon’s Houstonn to get off the mark at the fifth time of asking in this maiden stakes. The 3-year-old has been running in higher-class races and produced a top-notch performance when a short-head second to Aidan O’Brien’s Cambridge at Salisbury last September. That run was on good-to-firm going and he may find conditions to his liking at Windsor this Monday.
Time Running Out To Qualify For The Sprint Series Finale
19:20
A big field goes to post for the penultimate Sprint Series Qualifier. I like the look of both Kit Gabriel and Capote’s Dream. David Loughnane’s Kit Gabriel has the better breeding of the pair and has been placed on both his previous Windsor starts. Rossa Ryan also takes the reins and it’s his sole ride of the evening.
Tom Ward’s Capote’s Dream loves it at Windsor. On his previous eight starts at the Berkshire track, he’s finished 1st three times, 2nd three times, 3rd and 5th. My preference is for Kit Gabriel. For those looking for one at bigger odds, Toussarok could fit the bill. Tony Carroll is still looking for a runner to qualify for the Series finale and the 6-year-old does seem to produce his best runs in the summer months.
19:50
Hampshire handler, Ralph Beckett, has been bossing it at Windsor recently, with five winners since June 17th. Over half his runners this year have also finished in the top 25% of races. He only sends out one this Monday evening, Seek And Destroy, who landed the spoils at Windsor three weeks ago. The 3-year-old is well bred and I can only see him improving, so is my pick to record back-to-back successes.
The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Winners
20:20
Charlie Hills is another in-form handler at Windsor this year, with three wins from his 10 runners. Like Ralph Beckett, he only sends out one at the track this Monday evening, in the shape of Hope Rising. The 3-year-old filly is yet to make her mark on the racecourse, but she’s running in her lowest class category to date and it could be the moment she shines. Mr Zee returns to flat action after being active over the jumps since November. Michael Blake’s 7-year-old recorded three wins at Windsor last year and could be worthy of an each-way flutter.
20:50
We round the equine action off with another class 6 handicap before we head to the Paddock Lawn for some Motown classics. Adace returns to Windsor following a 3rd place finish at the track on her last run-out. Dean Ivory’s 6-year-old mare may have finished better had she not been hampered coming out of the stalls. It’s just one of several decent performances from the mare at Windsor over recent years and she’s been in good nick this season.
Jack Gilligan has given a good account of himself in the saddle at Windsor this year and he takes his sole ride of the evening on Sheena West’s Luna Queen in the last. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s there or thereabouts at the business end of proceedings.
Where To Catch All The Windsor Race Action
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
