What a week we had at Royal Ascot. It’s always sad when it’s over, but we Berkshire horse racing enthusiasts are never glum for too long. There’s always a regal equine start to every new week at Royal Windsor Racecourse, which stages another enthralling Monday evening card.
This particular meeting is dubbed the ‘Royal After Party’. It starts one of those extra-special weeks at Windsor Races, with another meeting just five days later, as Saturday is ‘Ladies Day’. With no Rossa Ryan on the scene this Monday, Oisin Murphy will be looking to take advantage in the Windsor Jockeys’ Championship.
Embed from Getty ImagesWindsor Races – Monday, June 17th Review
After a fruitless Windsor meeting for favourite backers the previous week, punters hoped Chris Dwyer’s Horse Whisperer would break the losing trend in the opener on ‘Summer Garden Party’ evening. However, she would run out of puff towards the finish of the 5-furlong 3-year-old dash, and it was left to Rachel Cook & John Bridger’s Kiss And Run to power to glory. It was her first Windsor win at the sixth attempt. It also marked Kieran O’Neill’s first victory at the track since 2021.
We remained over the sharp five for the second race, a maiden contest for the youngest generation. Tom Dascombe’s John’s Dragon, who had finished 5th on his racecourse debut over 6 furlongs at Haydock, appreciated the drop-down in trip and was pushed out well by Pierre-Louis Jamin to claim a cosy win—a big pat on the back for apprentice Pierre, his first-ever saddle success at Windsor.
Galaxy Princess Plays A Starring Role
With several runners dropping out, only four winless 3-year-olds went to post for race three, a Class 5 Novices event. Ralph Beckett’s Galaxy Princess went off the 4/9 jolly, and many punters had everything crossed and were saying their prayers. They didn’t have to sweat for too long, as Rossa Ryan made all on the daughter of Ribchester and was never headed. The bookies’ lengthy run of success at Windsor had finally been broken. Halle-punting-lujah !!!
Jubilant, jolly followers didn’t have too long to bask in the limelight, though, as the well-backed King’s Vanity, who was sent off the 11/2 favourite for the latest Fitzdares Sprint Series Qualifier, failed to spark. She was slowly away for Oisin Murphy and never challenged. A daughter of Twilight Son, Kiss And Run, had won the day’s opener, and another of the 2016 Diamond Jubilee Stakes champion’s progeny, Get It, would also claim victory. George Baker’s 6-year-old, who had also won a Sprint Series Qualifier in 2022, took the lead 2 out and kept on well. A special mention for the defending Sprint Series king, Jack Channon’s Indian Creak, who finished in a qualifying spot (4th) at big odds.
Embed from Getty ImagesWhat A Week For Billy ‘The Kid’ Loughnane
Billy Loughnane, who performed wonders in the saddle at Royal Ascot, also kicked off the week in top-notch form. The 18-year-old rode at Windsor for the first time in 2024 and recorded two seconds and a first from his five rides last Monday evening. His sole success came aboard George Boughey’s Salvuccio in the 5th race, a 3-year-old handicap over 6 furlongs. Boughey’s runners have been flying of late, and Salvuccio recorded the most convincing victory of the evening despite a shaky start.
Billy Loughnane almost bagged himself a back-to-back brace on another Boughey trainee in the penultimate race of the evening but was denied by David Loughnane’s (unrelated) runner and favourite, Metabolt, who clinched victory by a neck in the 1-mile handicap for older types. Rossa Ryan had started the evening one behind Oisin Murphy in the Windsor Jockeys Championship, but his wins on favourites Galaxy Princess and Metabolt propelled him back to the standings.
Sweet Success For De Sousa
Former three-time British flat champion jockey wrapped up the evening when winning aboard Simon Dow’s Thursday. The Brazilian saddle star picked up where he left off the next day at Royal Ascot, claiming the day 1 opener, the Queen Anne Stakes, on Charyn. Thursday’s victory at Windsor was the filly’s first-ever career success. She hadn’t finished better than 4th in four previous runs as a 4-year-old this year, which is her debut campaign.
Embed from Getty ImagesWindsor Races – What’s Still To Come In 2024
Some of the remaining highlights this year are as follows:
Windsor Races – Monday, June 24th Preview
The Racing Excellence Apprentice Training Series reaches Windsor this Monday, having already been to Nottingham and Pontefract this year. The saddle stars of the future are in action at the Berkshire track in the opening race of the card. The apprentice scheme is designed to assist in the continued education of inexperienced jockeys, and all races in the series will involve apprentices who have ridden not more than 20 winners before 8th May 2024. Some budding talents have ridden at the track previously, but we’d like to warmly welcome new Windsor newbies Elle-May Croot and Dominique Van Der Kraats.
Remaining on the jockey theme, the Windsor Jockeys’ Championship continues to hot up nicely. Rossa Ryan had been knocked off the top perch after missing a Monday evening meeting a fortnight ago, but he banged in a double last week to return to the No.1 spot, one above Oisin Murphy. Rossa Ryan sits out again this Monday, and his current main rival may take full advantage. Oisin Murphy has six booked rides, all likely to be in with a squeak.
Embed from Getty ImagesRace-By-Race Preview
17:35
Bama Lama returns for an eighth run at Windsor in the apprentice training race series handicap, the opener on the card. Rod Millman’s mare gave a good account of herself over the flying five in the soft here at the start of May when finishing 3rd. However, she’s performed even better in the past at the track on firmer going and over today’s trip of 6 furlongs. 9-year-old Firenze Rosa is making her 23rd appearance at Windsor, and we wish her the best. However, Bama Lama’s biggest danger could come from White Mist, who’s been running well of late, a runner-up twice in Class 5 events in April on the All-Weather.
18:05
A bunch of unraced 2-year-olds line up for the second race of the card over 6 furlongs. It’s always a tough nut to crack, and the market usually does the talking in these contests. Andrew Balding’s Cuban Girl could be worthy of a look. Havana Grey’s progeny have been running well here in these conditions at Windsor this year, and Oisin Murphy on top is always a bonus. Ralph Beckett’s yard has been on fire lately, and his runners performed well at Royal Ascot, so Priapos is likely to be in the mix.
Roi De France Looking To Rule The Roost
18:35
It could be a quickfire double for Oisin Murphy. He takes the reins on Roi De France in the 3rd race. The Gosden’s 3-year-olds have been in top-notch form, and Roi De France made an impressive debut when second at Lingfield last November. The contest winner has since finished runner-up in a Class 2 race at Ascot. Drusilla’s breeding interests me, and I expect a better run after a disappointing first start.
19:10
We’ve got another Fitzdares Sprint Series Qualifier to get our teeth into. There are several old Windsor favourites in the line-up, but a newcomer to the track, Equity Law, maybe their biggest threat. Andrew Balding’s runner won a Class 2 at Sandown at the end of April. I like a couple of previous course and distance winners, Jumbeau and Glamorous Breeze, and I’m siding with the former, who impressed me when they won here last month. I’m hopeful for a dominant front-running ride from Tom Marquand.
19:40
The sprint action continues over 5 furlongs, but this time, the younger generation features in this 3-year-old handicap. Oisin Murphy mounts up on Marco Botti’s So Obsessed, an interesting jockey booking for Botti. She’s likely to be a short price so I may go elsewhere, and La Verite on breeding could be in contention.
Lucentio In Search Of A Windsor Hat-Trick
20:10
Another 3-year-old handicap, but this time over the maximum Windsor trip of approximately 11.5 furlongs. We mentioned the Gosden’s 3-year-olds earlier, and Lucentio is another of theirs who has been impressing late. The Too Darn Hot colt showed his versatility when winning in the soft here at the start of May and then returning to Windsor two weeks later to win again on good to firm going. This could prove his toughest test, but he looks progressive, and he’ll be my pick again.
20:40
Another small and select field to round off the evening’s action. Star Runner, a half-brother to Royal Ascot winner Running Lion, looks like the class act in the line-up and may be too good for most of these. It could be a big evening for Oisin Murphy and end on a high note.
Like every Windsor meeting, all races will be screened live on Sky Sports Racing. Good Luck All !!! Let us know your Windsor selections by clicking on ‘Comments’ under the main article title at the top of the piece.
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Windsor Races Preview – Monday, June 17th
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Windsor Races Preview – Monday, May 13th
Image Credit: Deposit Photos
Great insights; I’m enjoying your horse racing articles.