Monday 5 October 2015

WET AND WEARY AT WINDSOR

There could not be two more contrasting few days racing.The barmy warmth and sunshine at Fontwell. To the wet and dreary Monday flat racing at Royal Windsor racecourse.
Yet, they came, horses and punters a like to see the last few meetings of the 2015 season at the Berkshire course. Eight races on offer, the going changing as the first few races set about. Soft was the final conclusion as the majority of runners choose to adopt the far side rail as usual occurrence on the course as the going becomes softer.

The first race an amateur riders sprint over five furlongs saw fourteen runners go to post. Dreams Of Glory, trained by Ron Hodges, a seven year old by Respondent Glory, came to the Berkshire course to see if the changes of bend at the figure of eight track could rekindle his love of winning.With 56 runs under his belt, 9 of them resulting in a trip to the winners enclosure the chestnut gelding has had a quite 2015 season.

Dreams of Glory
The last few runs for the experienced, versatile runner saw up and coming star Edward Greatrex in the plate, this time brother Tom was to get the leg up by the experienced Hodges. The soft going and the change in rider gave this schoolmaster a taste of the high life and duly gave Mr T Greatrex his first ever winner, leading in the final furlong the amateur kept the old timer up to his task beating Time Medicean and Miss S Coll by a neck.

The professionals got to start the afternoon of with two divisions of a mile maiden Stakes. Twenty four runner in total split this mile event, both winners carrying 9st 5lbs and coming home at a good price.

Gawdawpalin
Gawdawpalin, ridden by 3lbs claimer Tom Marquand and trained in Lambourn by Sylvester Kirk won the first division at 11/4. Staying on well to beat Jazzy by two lengths in the turning ground. The two year old improving well to take this late in the season maiden, dependant how the colt takes the recovery, will depend if we will see this son of Holy Roman Emperor again as a two year old, the ground suited the horse who previously has had run on good ground, and time will tell how this one will map out for the future.

Division two.

Top Beak
Again a Berkshire trainer takes the spoils. Hughie Morrison trained Top Beak to go off on the rails at 25/1. Ridden by Robert Havlin, the two year old by Lawman out of a Grand Lodge mare, rallied gamely when headed by 11/4 favourite Mountain Bell and in the last stride regained the lead to claim the horses maiden venture out on a race track. The colt broke well and was always travelling and is indeed one to put in the note books for future outings.

Another beaten favourite in the next. This time the well fancied Ed De Giles trained Bazooka, well tipped before the race by the hacks, was turned over by half a length by Rod millman's trained Dovil's Duel, ridden by Frederik Tylicki. Giving only 2lbs to the second the four year old by Clodovil out of a Diesis mare was pushed along by the German to take the horses third win of his career.

Frederik Tylicki.

Dovil's Duel
The versatile Sweet P trained by Marcus Tegoning and ridden by 3lbs claimer Louis Steward, took home the 1m 3f handicap stakes for three year old, the main race of the day. Easily in the rain softened ground. The daughter of Sir Percy was unchallenged at the final half furlong to win well after a duo of victories first here at Windsor in July, and then a few weeks later travelling up north to Newcastle.

Sweet P
This four year old filly is obviously a horse that enjoys quick successes and then a lay off, as her previous wins were on the back of a nine month absence, so be sure to look out for this one for a quick repeat before going on her winter holidays.

Heavy showers continued throughout the meeting,and was getting well into the ground causing it to cut up a little. This showed, as winners who love the give were coming home without to much of a challenge.

Swiss Affair
And this showed at Swiss Affair by Pivotal a sire whose offspring seem to love the cut in the ground came home comfortably by two lengths from Dream Bounty. Trained by L'arc De Triomphe hero John Gosden and was meant to be ridden by man of the moment Frankie Dettori. Both Absent from the days toils in Berkshire, and obviously still soaking up the glory from the previous days Golden Horn triumph. A Chance then for Robert Havlin to get a double on board, and he bough home the 8/13 favourite for her first win from three starts all of them have been in the frame. Havlin mentioned the three year old filly idled a little in front, but kept to her task well, but i shouldn't reckon the Italian would be that worried of missing out in the rain on a Monday Autumn afternoon.

No flat race meeting would be complete without a win from the Godolphin team. and Start Time a Invincible Spirt two year old gelding ridden by 3lbs claimer Kevin Stott made it a double of wins for horse and jockey on soft ground. This improving sort, who loves the cut in the ground is surly one to watch when the ground has some give, and backed up his 2/1 favourite price to win comfortably over the Windsor mile.
Start Time

Revolutionist
With Light fading on a miserable autumn afternoon, 14 runners went to post for another mile handicap. Mark Johnston sent Revolutionist to post 15/8 favorite, and again Pivotal the sire. This three year old colt came home in front of Double heaven by three lenghths to take the prize. 
This big stamp of a horse took the soft ground in his stride and was a good win for popular jockey Joe Fanning, and backed up his win on the Lingfield all weather surface in March.

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