It’s been 175 days since the Royal Windsor Racecourse flung its gates open to an excited bunch of Monday racegoers. Not that we’ve been eagerly awaiting the start of a spanking new season of horse racing action at the Berkshire track or anything!!!
Thankfully and hopefully, that will be the final time we have to endure an equine hibernation at Windsor, as National Hunt racing is set to return this December, for the first time since 1998. The future is very bright, but so is the present, and we get underway with an 8-race flat card this Monday afternoon (April 15th).
Embed from Getty ImagesThe History of Windsor Racecourse
While horse racing has been held in various guises over the centuries in the Windsor vicinity, it first got going in earnest at Rays Meadow, the current site, in 1866. It was established by John Frail, whose family would go on to own and run a number of racecourses. Windsor Racecourse was never in the same league as neighbouring Ascot, in terms of equine quality and grandeur, but it’s popularity still grew amongst owners, trainers and racegoers. Being set in a picturesque location, a stone’s throw from London was an added bonus.
It is one of only two figure-of-eight courses in the UK, the other being Fontwell. Although the course is shaped like a figure-of-eight, the full circuit is never used, so in races of 1m, 1m 2f and 1m 3f 99y (the longest distance at Windsor) the runners turn only right-handed.
During the World Wars, Windsor would be one of only a few tracks that was allowed to continue staging meetings. One of Britain’s WW2 heroes and all-time historical greats, Winston Churchill, loved his racing, and his most well-known horse, Colonist II, even won at Windsor in 1949. Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother were of course famous equine enthusiasts too. Rumours have it, that their Majesties would sometimes pop ‘over the road’ if one of their numerous runners was in action.
Embed from Getty ImagesThose Enchanting Evenings
The buzz and exhilaration around Windsor builds during the spring and summer months with the track staging it’s annual Monday Evening meetings. First staged in the 1960’s, these evening cards are always well attended. Windsor Racecourse is the only course in the UK that can be reached by boat, and many racegoers use this service as a pleasant and novel way of arriving at the track. Especially when the sun is beaming down and the Pimm’s is flowing. Many of the evening meetings have unique and special themes and the post-race entertainment adds to their appeal.
Windsor’s Evening Race meetings get underway from Monday April 22nd. Evening (and other) highlights this year include the following:
April
15th – First Flat Meeting
22nd – First Evening Meeting
May
6th – Bank Holiday Family Fun Day
25th – Summer Opening Party
June
3rd – 80s Retro Explosion
10th – Irish Night
17th – Summer Garden Party
29th – Ladies Day
July
1st – ABBA Party Racenight
15th – Rum & Reggae Racenight
22nd – Soul & Motown
29th – An Evening with Queen
August
3rd – Gents Evening
12th – Vegas Night
15th – Racing League
19th – Final Fiesta
24th – Summer Closing Party
September:
2nd – Final Evening Meeting
October:
14th – Final Flat Meeting
December:
15th – The Return of NH Racing
Windsor Racing – Monday April 15th Meeting
All those 2024 equine and entertainment thrills and spills are still yet to come, but for now we focus on the very first flat meeting of the year at Windsor Racecourse. It’s an action-packed 8-race card which kicks off with a 5-furlong sprint handicap for 3-year-olds at 14:20 and finishes with a 1 mile 2-furlong handicap for 4-year-olds and older. All 8 races are screened live on Sky Sports Racing (like all Windsor meetings this season).
Of those jockeys who have finished in the top-5 season wins at Windsor in either or some of the past 3 years, Rossa Ryan, Rob Hornby, Sean Levey & Jack Mitchell all saddle up during the opening day’s action. Jack Mitchell heads down for a sole ride on Tom Clover’s Magna Vega in the 17:20, which could be worth a look at. Rob Havlin is also having his only Windsor ride in the same race, aboard the warming favourite, Savvy Warrior.
Will We Get a Royal Winner?
Trainer-wise, Ralph Beckett, who finished joint-top of the handler’s wins at Windsor last year sends out two in the same race, Poniros and Raging Al in the 15:20. Poniros may be worthy of an each-way punt. He had a couple of runouts at Chelmsford and Nottingham last year, while Raging Al is making his racecourse debut. David Loughnane had a 33% win strike rate at Windsor Racecourse last year, and his sole runner at this meeting, Off the Bench in the 14:50 could go well.
Although Karl Burke’s King of Light is the extremely hot favourite in that race and he’s the longest traveller by far of the day, having journeyed 239 miles on his own for the contest. Another early mover is Leap Abroad in the 15:50, which the old legendary shrewdie Paul Cole (along with son Oliver) sends out.
One guaranteed to have the crowd roaring it home is Reaching High in the 15:20. The 10-time champion trainer Michael Stoute runs him for HM The King and HM The Queen. So, make sure to keep an eye out for those famous scarlet and purple with gold braid colours.
Good Luck All and let us know your Windsor Racecourse selections and views. Click on ‘comments’ under the main article title at the top of the piece).
Keep up with today’s horse racing results via Racing Post.
The Grand National – The Key Stats & Trends
Aintree Festival Day 1 Preview – Liverpool’s Ready to Party
Aintree Festival Day 2 Preview – Here Come the Ladies
AFL 2024 R5: Giants club record, Neale 250th, Rare Eagles win, Crows triumph on the road
Finely poised for Masters Sunday
What Makes The Masters So Special?
Bayer Leverkusen – A Season to Remember
Image Credit: Deposit Photos