Sunday 30 August 2015

BENTLEY DRIVE AND A GROUP THREE AT WINDSOR

What should of been a beautiful late summer evening for the Royal Windsor racecourse ladies day meeting, turned out to be a rain soaked,overcast more mid autumnal like day on the banks of the River Thames in Berkshire.
But still the crowd turned out and the ladies adorned their finery, to see the best racing at the Windsor racecourse this summer. A group three worth £26'736 to the winner. The Unibet Winter Hill stakes. And a listed £16'487 race, The Sri Lanka August Stakes.

Missy Blue Eyes and Papa Luig
The first race, a two year old,six furlong maiden, Saw the unmistakable Richard Hannon place one of his maidens into the mix. Papa Luigi went to post the bookies favourite, but with ground on the soft side of good with the recent deluge of rain in Berkshire over the last few days the Zoffany colt could not get up, and lost out by a neck to the eventual winner Missy Blue Eyes, trained in Lambourn by William Muir and ridden by Sam Hitchcott.
This two year old gelding had his debut at Nottingham a few weeks ago and has come on a lot. Costing £18000 at sales, this Son of Kyllachy out of a Sadlers wells mare seemed to love the give in the ground.

The fillies took to the stage in the second race over the Windsor mile, The Brain Tumour Research Fillies handicap for three year olds. And saw David Elsworth saddle the 5/2 favourite La Superba, who got up in the last few strides driven by 5 lbs claimer Tom Marquand to beat the Roger Varian trained Privileged by a neck, whose 7 lbs weight difference told in the testing going.

La Superba
Another mile race, this time open to all three year olds, saw Keystroke, trained in Newmarket by Jeremy Noseda and ridden by stable jockey Jimmy Fortune, hold off the 15/8 favourite Critical risk by a length.
The three year old by Pivotal, whose offspring had a very good afternoon at the Royal Berkshire course, and must sire horses that love the give in the ground.

Keystroke
The main race of the meeting, the group three Winter hill stakes, saw eight runners go to post for the  one mile two furlong event.
Dermot Weld sent Fascinating Rock over from Ireland to contest but found the now cut up and soft going at Windsor, and the fact that recent form saw the Fasnet Rock colt shoulder 9 st 5 lbs too much, and finished well down the field.
Godolphin's entry Racing History, who disappointed as a two year old but has bought his A game to the table as a three year old by winning his last two outings,the last one being at Chester could not be sniffed at carrying 8 st 7 lbs. Saeed Bin Suroor flying in to make a rare appearance at the Berkshire track.
The son of Pivotal, whose offspring already in the winners enclosure, went to post under William Buick 9/2, and saw off by a length, Class contender Cannock Chase.
Cannock Chase
This quality three year old must be one to watch over the next few months as the ground begins to yield. Could this run see this colt enter into the French group race scene. Only time will tell.

Racing History winner of the group three Winter Hill Stakes
The one mile three furlong listed August stakes, saw again eight runners go to post.
Gospel Choir, who already has two group 2 races to his name, went to post the 7/4 favourite. But it was again the Godolpin team with Beautiful Romance whose only win has come off soft ground at Doncaster last October and since was a creditable third in the Neil Gwyn at Newmarket in early season who took the race honours. Ridden by Harry Bentley this New approach filly out of a cape cross mare won easily in the now cut up ground, and showed she was a good contender on give in the ground.

Beautiful Romance winner of the Listed August Stakes
Bentley who in the last race of the evening, a one mile three furlong handicap. Showed also he was one who like the soft going. And steered home 5/4 favourite Instill  by a length.

Instill
The stallion Pivotal, completing a hat trick of off winners for the evening with this three year old colt trained by Ivan Futado.

Images of the evening events can be seen at