Tuesday 24 May 2016 00:21, UK
A review of the action from Windsor on Monday evening, where The Tin Man booked a trip to Royal Ascot with a stylish success.
Prospects of The Tin Man becoming another Group race-winning sprinter to hail from the yard of James Fanshawe moved a significant step closer after he made a winning return in the Weatherbys Private Bank Leisure Stakes at Windsor.
While the four-year-old still has a way to go to match the exploits of his high-class half-brother Deacon Blues, the son of Equiano showed he is heading in the right direction when enhancing his progressive profile in the Listed feature in Berkshire.
The Tin Man was not ready to take his place in the Duke Of York Stakes earlier this month, but did himself justice on his first start since finishing fourth in the British Champions Sprint at Ascot in October with a stylish two-length win over Watchable in the hands of Tom Queally.
Following the race Fanshawe's charge was cut to 8/1 for the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot by Sky Bet.
"It's really good to get that first run under his belt. He will come on for that. It's been quite hard to get him right as he had a few little niggles," said the trainer.
"He improved so quickly last year and he ran a very good race in the Champions Sprint at Ascot.
"We always felt he broke too well at Ascot and today we wanted to drop him in and relax, but that is not always easy at Windsor.
"We have ridden him for his turn of foot and when Tom pushed him he quickened up really well.
"He has got some big entries and he will get better with age, but we will just box clever with him.
"We will just see how he is after this race. We would obviously love to run him at Ascot (Diamond Jubilee), but he doesn't want the ground rock hard."
Barrington (2/1 favourite) gave the form of Cunco, the first winner sired by Frankel, a boost when taking the Sky Bet EBF Stallions Novice Stakes.
There was drama before the off after both odds-on shot Tropical Rock and outsider Irish Melody were withdrawn at the start.
Barrington, who finished fourth behind the John Gosden-trained colt on his debut at Newbury, put his previous experience to good use to take the five-furlong event by a commanding six lengths.
Winning trainer Charlie Hills said: "It certainly helped with the favourite coming out . I've always liked him, he just had a terrible draw last time and never got into the race.
"He showed a bit of boot that day and I thought dropping him back to five furlongs would be no problem. He had the draw, although he was in the stalls a long time and half missed the kick.
"The horse has improved and grown quite a bit recently. He is not the finished article.
"His sire won over a mile and I think he will get further, but he is out of a speedy mare."
William Jarvis praised the ability of former trainer James Toller after Cold Snap ended his 40-day spell without a winner when bursting through late on in the Sky Bet Maiden Stakes.
After receiving the three-year-old from Toller, who quit training at the end of last season, the 7/1 shot made up good late headway in the six-furlong event under Rob Havlin to defeat He's My Cracker by three-quarters of a length.
Jarvis said: "I am lucky that I have inherited a nice horse from James Toller as he looked after him as a two-year-old.
"He worked like a good horse and this is not a shock. He is a little bit immature and he has got a lot of growing up to do but hopefully he is a nice horse and will go on from here."
Clive Cox will be hoping the victory of Ice Lord (5/2 favourite) in the Sky Bet Windsor Sprint Series Handicap is a sign of things to come for My Dream Boat in the Prix d'Ispahan at Chantilly on Tuesday, while the David Evans-trained Outback Blue (14/1) gained a first win on turf in the Keith Harte Woburn Stud Handicap.
