WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WINDSOR SEEING RED FOR AN AFTERNOON

A weird presence over the Royal Berkshire racecourse Windsor for their penultimate race meeting of 2017.
Red skies and a somber mood greeted all that gathered by the Thames to watch eight races before the weekend were just down the road at Ascot the best of the best take battle in the most glorious of settings. All racing waits with baited breath for  cheer in a week that one of our own within the industry has been taken from us, the pain still showing on all that like the late Ken Dooley, love this industry of the sport of kings.
What remained of storm Ophelia showing it's hand from the start, and throughout the meeting sure had the racegoers talking, were the afternoon kicked off with a ten runner two year old nursery over the dash five furlongs.
Adulate from the Hugo Palmer yard showed promise on the boards halving it's price slashed from 10/1 to 5/1 as they went to post.
But it was Ed Dunlop who sent 3/1 favorite Global Exceed for his ninth run winning  a month back at Lingfield to claim his second victory, the Exceed and Excel colt beating Mick Channon's Aquadabra by half a length.

Global Exceed (left) fbeating Mick Channon's Aquadabra (right) .

Ridden by Adam Kirby who loves to ride at this Berkshire figure of eight track mentioned.'He's a bit quirky this one, and would probably suit six furlongs better, he is talented and was good for him to get the win today.'
The jockey who rides Harry Angle at the weekend for Windsor favorite trainer Clive Cox in the Champions Sprint mentioned the horse was in great form and ready to take on the mighty Aiden O'Brien and Commonwealth stakes winner Cararvaggio.

Global Exceed

This two year old in the mean time,Ed Dunlop the trainer was quoted he love to keep in the yard would be one to watch.

The pride of Biffa Handicap over one mile two furlongs for three year olds, would of been a poignant race if one horse could of got in the winner enclosure.
The horse from the Amanda Perrett yard Intermodel could only manage to beat one and was a horse that was cared for by Ken Dooley who sadly lost his life at Kempton Park on Friday evening.

Intermodel

I didn't know Ken personally but I as many around the world were saddened to hear about his death  and the people who did know him mentioned he was a man who loved his industry, as we all do. It's at these times that racing shows it's true colours. If one person hurts we all do, and show great strength is sticking together and working things through. I would like to add as many around the world my condolences to the family,friends and work colleagues that are hurting at this time.

The race result went to Jus Pires, trained in Newmarket by Jeremy Noseda and ridden by Sean Levey who pushed out the Scat Daddy three year old to get his nose in front of second placed Lime and Lemon from Lambourn trained Clive Cox.

Angry skies as Jus Pires wins the Biffa Handicap over the Windsor one mile two furlongs

The horse at post at 8/1 seemed to hang slightly left for Levey who mentioned,'it was very close on the  line but he has just made the effort at the line to stick his nose out, that was my first ride for the trainer which i was delighted to to take this morning. There wasn't too much pace in the race so was happy just to sit off with this one and he had probably taken it up sooner rather than he wanted, but he gallops all the way to the line and stuck it out.'

Jus Pires, third placed Sparte Quercus and runner up Lime and Lemon

The colt now two wins from four starts has all the ingredients to go forward that is for sure and has surely made progress thus far. He would be one to watch as lightly raced as a two and three year old, and still possibly has a lot more to come.

The six furlongs two year olds novices stakes went to 11/10 favorite from the Richard Hannon yard All Out.
The fillies who have been on blistering form this season against the colts, showed again the strength  as the Acclamation filly out of a mare by Mark of Esteem seemed to be all but closed out at the two pole but as shaken up by Tom Marquand the filly backed up her maiden win at Nottingham fourteen days back got up on the line to beat the fancied Global Tango from the Charles Hill yard.
'This filly is still very green really,' mentioned Marquand.'She has backed up her win from Nottingham where she was also green and you would not have thought she could win. But she has improved that's the main thing but still has a lot more education to come.'
The form this filly has showed so far this two year old may have a black type of a future ahead. Well bred out of a mare who was a granddaughter to the great  Time Charter who herself was not inclined in giving her male counterparts a bit of a pasting .
This filly must be one to highlight in the form books for next season to pick up a decent prize for owner Robert Barnett.

All Out, (right) comes upsides Global Tango (left)  to take the six furlongs year olds novices stakes

Half way through the eight race card, and we come to a one mile three furlong fillies only handicap. Nine runners to post, Eve Johnson-Houghton sending her charge down to the start the 15/8 favorite.
Again a close fought contest the bookies relishing the 16/1 winner beating the favorite into third by a length and a neck. the David Probert ridden hidden steps in the famous black with gold cross colours of  Paul Melon now with Kingclere Racing stayed on gamely to beat off the favorite and runner up Clef from the Richard Fahey yard.
The three year old by Footstepsinthesand out of a Haaffid mare could only manage a fifth in the Cheshire oaks behind Enable last time out in May and only having one other run in an one hundred and fifty nine day break from a racecourse at Haydock in her maiden handicap running a disappointing fifth of five seemed to have come on for her runs this time getting her nose in front.

hidden steps, Clef and Killay

'Her step back to a mile today has  has helped this filly out, and was a nice surprise for the win today, she has run a little green looking around her, I've allowed her to run along and she has galloped nicely up to the line.'
The trainer who is looking forward to the weekend where Beat the Bank goes in the Queen Elizabeth stakes mentioned she has deserved to win her race today. Of his fancied Ascot runner?  well he certainly going in the right direction. 'It will depend on what rain we have up to the weekend really, but he always looked a nice sort since we have had him at home, but we have a high benchmark to beat in Ribchester but each time we put him up a class he comes up trumps.'
This filly though also has not not been afraid of taking on a big race and maybe one to note for next season. A filly that's looks like she runs better when fresh could be one to watch for next season.

hidden steps keeps at bay Clef  in the one mile three furlong fillies handicap

The three year old one mile three handicap with ten runners to post this time pleased favorite backers of the Roger Varien trained Zeelander with Andrea Atzeni in the saddle. Bought to take an interest in the race two furlongs out the three year old by Dubawi out of a Barathea mare at post the 11/10 favorite stayed on well towards the end despite hanging slightly left as he was asked to take it up, the jockey mentioning, 'The track has suited this one, he has run a little green but still has a lot more to come really, he hasn't had a great deal of experience but today once organized he was happy to go forward and take his race.' Only the colts fourth run this one could be one to improve for a Winters rest. Well bred, his mother being a granddaughter to French Oaks winner Dunette this horse could have a promising four year old future and should be one to note.

Zeelander leads second and third placed horses Orin Swift (2nd) on the left and Hawridge Glory (middle) in 3rd

Zeelander

The Ben Woolacott memorial handicap had a good sized fourteen to post for the six furlong trip. The bookies if smarting from paying out on the last race certainly had their revenge in this, the last sprint of the day.
A drifter in the market Paddy Power trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by previous champion jockey on the flat Paul Hanagan went off from the stalls at 8/1 opening in the morning at 9/2.
Mid division for much of the way the four year old Pivotal gelding though hanging away from the stands a little held on well in the final strides beating Buccaneers Vault by a length.

'This horse suits a strong gallop and that's what he got here , he loved it here today. The trainer is having a great season and as always it has been great being a part of his team.'
The horse now on four wins from twenty six starts with his second win on the bounce the last being at a more local track to the trainer  Pontefract could well be seen on turf with a quick turn before the end of the season, but certainly made his mark down south at Windsor , the first three home in fact not below the 7/1 mark showed how wide open this contest was.

The Ben Woolacott memorial handicap won by Paddy Power

The final two races a two division one mile maiden  for three year old and upwards. Nineteen runners split between the two divisions, the first of which had nine to post the favorite being  Paradise Lake from the Newmarket base of Sir Micheal Stout.
The favorite just missing out though by a neck to the victorious Spanish History  trained by Seamus Durack an ridden by Shane Kelly.

Spanish History (nearside) across the line with on the far side runner up Paradise Lake

A large contingent of owners being the Andrew Wyke & ownaracehorse must of picked up and carried their Street Cry gelding out of a Cape Cross mare over the line with enthusiasm and is sure for something to look forward to in the future.
'He's a big weak raw type of horse at the moment that certainly needs a trip,' mentioned Kelly. 'He'd make a better hurdler for sure.'
The trainer confirming that he would probably give the gelding a chance now and put him away to strengthen for next year, note should be taken with the information given if seeing this one return under rules. Could we see this one in a bumper or novices hurdle at Fontwell next spring? one to keep tabs on i feel.
Division two of this mile maiden, ten runners went to post. Whereas in the previous division there were no market movers, this division  rolled out the Kevin Ryan trained Jamie Spencer ridden Sacred way from 13/2 into 7/2 but could only manage a seven length third spot to the eventual winner of the final race of the afternoon Crimson Rosette from the Charlie Fellows yard ridden by Stevie Donohoe.

 Crimson Rosette

Owned by Anthony Oppenheimer starting off his week well, hopefully ending the week with a more stylish  win in the Champion stakes at Ascot with Cracksman. 'It Has not really been a great season for us this year,' mentioned the trainer, 'This filly has been a example that the dice just have not rolled our way, after this fillies maiden at Newmarket were she was beaten by two horses rated over 100 was very promising. She ran at York, slipped coming out of the stalls and i feel she picked up a little injury so it was nice to get her here for the end of the season and get a win into her.If there is a little listed race somewhere we may just have a crack in that because i think she is a nice filly, and for a small trainer like myself to have a horse let alone a winner for Mr Oppenheimer is great.'
The breeding suggests this filly may just need  time to grow into herself the jockey mentioning that he has always liked her,the win doing her a power of good, he also felt the daughter of Teofilo would get further in time.
This filly is certainly one to watch, as mentioned at the beginning of the blog the sport of kings is an industry with it's up's and downs, the trainer not having a good season this year, well next year with this filly we have been warned. Underline her, keep her warm through the winter and watch what grows next summer.

'He's a big weak raw type of horse at the moment that certainly need a trip,' mentioned Kelly. 'He'd make a better hurdler for sure.'

The jockey mentioning that he has always liked her,the win doing her a power of good, he also felt the daughter of Teofilo would get further in time. 

Only one more meeting to go for 2007 at Royal Windsor before she is put to bed for the winter. The season starting off at the Berkshire course bumpy, but certainly the last few meetings have involved some good steady racing, this meeting being no exception. The last meeting all being well being blogged for WWW.MJAYPHOTOGRAPHY.CO.UK.