Eight races at Windsor on a Monday afternoon treat for the punters attending the Berkshire racecourse.
The weather as anyone would expect not the greatest for a Bank Holiday meeting, but the races certainly did it's best to cheer up a gloomy sort of a day.
The first race an auction race over six furlongs eleven went to post, and as it was time for a picnic, the Picnic partnership picked up a three length win with Optimum Time from Zabletaswansong out of the Richard Hannon yard.
The maiden winner coming from the Eve Johnson-Houghton yard was ridden into the middle of the course from a furlong out by Charles Bishop who said.
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| The maiden winner coming from the Eve Johnson-Houghton yard was ridden into the middle of the course |
The yard who have been in good form lately are happy with the progression of this young colt by Manduro, and look like a horse that would act of most types of surface, the trainer mentioning that the Chesham stakes at Royal Ascot could be the test for the two year old, time will tell, but one certainly to note.
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| Optimum Time |
Favorite Fair Cop off at 9/4 out of the Andrew Balding yard, Andrew Probert on board took the race running on well in the final stages to take the race by a couple of lengths from Beck and call and Fergus Sweeney.
The three year old by Exceed and Excel may have hung a little off the rail but looked a good type, jockey Probert mentioning.
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| Fair Cop |
The filly on her third run has acted mostly on the firm going, apart from her maiden outing on the all weather, and got the job done well on a more testing surface that would give more power to her elbow.
The trainer mentioned that drop drop back to the five furlongs had suited the filly well and would be one to take care on for the future, coming from a master that has a few 'nice ones' in at present his words should be taken very readily.
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'She has got away with the softer ground today, but like her family she has a lot of speed to her credit,'
Five runners went to post for the one mile three furlongs fillies handicap. Turning the Tables from the Dave Simcock yard bidding for back to back wins at the Berkshire course going down at 4/6 favorite.
Coming back up the course, a different matter in the softer ground finishing tailed off. The winner Perfect Summer trained by Ian Williams and ridden by Richard Kingscote winning her fifth race from thirty four starts.
' From four out I didn't think she could win, the others had a bit more toe than my filly,' mentioned the jockey. 'But as we went on, the others stopped and my girl found a little bit more, but she liked the ground and I know she stays so I rode her at the start with that in mind.'
Possibly not going to get the ground for this High Chaparral filly for a while yet, but if we do get a deluge and the going changes, this filly entered, it may be one to take note.
Perfect Summer trained by Ian Williams and ridden by Richard Kingscote
Back to the sprinters, this time for the qualifier for the Windsor sprint series championships held at the course in August.
Robert Cowell sending 4/1 three year old Evergate to post under the steerage of Kieran O'Neil.
Again by Exceed and Excel the three year old off one win from ten starts took on the race in final stages well ridden by O'Neill who mentioned,' He tried hard for me today despite hanging a little for me at the start. But he has done that well for me and you can ask for nothing more really.'
The gelding with more seconds to his name than wins, if going for the finale of the series would have to bring his A game to the table, but with the £12'000 handicap up for grabs certainly has earnt his corn taking the qualifier for sure.
 
With already one winner in the bag in the opening race, and another at Leicester. Eve Johnson-Houghton sent Toulson to post the 6/4 favorite for the one mile two furlong handicap.
Ridden again by Charles Bishop the four year old Champs Elysees gelding was hard ridden in the final furlong to beat Get back in Paris out of the Richard Hughes yard by a head. 
Winner Toulson (right) second place Getback in Paris (left)
'It was a bit of a messy race really, and they have started coming back to us just after the racecourse junction,' Mentioned the jockey.' They have gone a good pace for this progressive horse, fingers crossed he could be something nice for the future.'The trainer mentioned the horse didn't really go in the ground but had done enough to get his head in front. Note should be taken that the jockey had said the horse is a progressive type, and could be something special. With horses flying out of the Oxfordshire yard of Johnson-Houghton at present would be one to note 
' Fingers crossed he could be something nice for the future.' Mentioned Charles Bishop
John Gallagher trained the winner of the six furlong handicap, five year old Major Pusey under Fergus Sweeney took his fourth win from twenty five starts.
The gelding who seems to like the softer going last win was at headquarters last June made all of the running pulling well clear of the field from the two furlong pole beating Bahamian Dollar by two lengths.
Major Pusey
'The handicapper has treated him well for this race really,'mentioned Sweeney.'He has appreciated getting his toe in the ground at this weight and I have ridden him like he was going to stay, but he has done that well today and paid up in the trainers confidence in him.'
Not a great deal of market movement for the son of Major Cadeaux, off at 10/1 from 11/1 which would show the confidence in him with recent form. A good win for sure for the Gallagher yard, conditions would have to be favorable I feel for a repeat performance.
Major Pusey under Fergus Sweeney took his fourth win from twenty five starts.
The penultimate race of the evening was a mile handicap split into two divisions, the first of those going to the yard of John Best with a three year old by Dream ahead, Chance to Dream.
Only on his fourth run, the gelding under the steerage of Kieran Fox stayed on well in the final furlong after tracking the leaders for most of the distance.
'He is a big type of horse and has taken time to come into himself,he has had a bad draw so i have had to tuck him in but we have had a bit of luck and pricked his ears at the line.'
The three year old only getting up to beat Badenscroft and the 2/1 favorite Rita's Man by a length and a half, the trainer mentioning,' he's a nice horse and we have always like him, never flashy at home but he has good stride to him, he has gradually improved and still I feel got more to come.' The horse would possibly not be out again until the ground is to his liking, but the trainer is confident he will improve and on the softer ground must be one to take note of.
The three year old Chance to Dream only getting up to beat Badenscroft
The second division Rod Millman and William Carson took the race by a short head on 5/2 favorite Sir Plato.
Two wins from eight starts the Sir Prancealot three year old just managed to hold on from taking the race up from three furlongs out with a spirited run from Peloton ridden by Kieran O'Neil.
'I have probably gone a bit too soon on him to be fair, his last win here when Oisin was on him he allowed him to go on, but he has gone up since then , hopefully he won't go up too much after this win and for sure he'd be competitive around here again.'
The handicapper may not take too much notice of his tight win and towards the end of the Windsor season when the ground can get on the softer side in October would be one to note.
Sir Plato (right) takes up the race from second place Peloton (left)
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