Monday racing tips: Five horses to follow from Windsor on Sky Sports Racing
Lethal Nymph set to star in latest Sprint Series Qualifier at Windsor for Clive Cox; big stables represented in red-hot Fillies' Maiden; watch every race from Windsor all live on Sky Sports Racing on Monday May 22
Sunday 21 May 2023 17:44, UK
Sky Sports Racing's Elliot David is back with five runners to follow across Monday's evening card at Windsor.
VESPASIAN
5.00 Windsor
It'll come as no surprise to see Simon and Ed Crisford's top weight VESPASIAN contesting favouritism for the opening five-furlong Sprint Handicap given the four-year-old arrives in excellent heart with some strong form in the book.
His recent runner-up effort behind Richard Fahey's Great State at Thirsk on May 6 took an excellent boost when the winner followed up in Listed company at York last week.
Having raced prominently under a keen hold on soft ground, the Crisford runner was only headed inside the final furlong, where the early exertions likely just caught up with him. Nevertheless, the handicapper hasn't taken action and he remains on the same mark of 82.
If he arrives in the same form, with the tongue-tie and cheekpieces combination retained, he could take some pegging back with a reprisal of his forward-going tactics seen at Thirsk sure to be suited to the track and forecasted quick ground.
Windsor can be a bit of a pace highway in these conditions, with the stands side rail heavily favoured and I'm sure James Doyle will be mindful of getting a good early position.
AMANCIO
6.05 Windsor
Jack Channon's made a fantastic start to his training career, registering 13 winners already this year but he's yet to get off the mark with his two-year-old runners having had just two individual runners so far.
That may be set to change in the second division of our Maiden Stakes as AMANCIO makes his debut, with Channon having given a notably positive report for the son of Sixties Icon in his recent At The Races Stable Tour.
"He's a belter and reminds me of Legend Of Xanadu. I think he will be a six-furlong horse but will be ready to run over five. He is a typical Sixties Icon and a real little dinger - I am really happy with him."
Legend Of Xanadu was a fantastic horse for the Channon team before being sold on to race in Qatar, achieving Listed success during his two-year-old season and such comparisons seem notable.
Of the opposition, Alice Haynes is having a terrific time with her juveniles, striking at an incredible 50 per cent (7-14) thus far. Having been beaten a clear six-and-a-half lengths on debut Too Much Trevor does have something to prove just yet and will need to get a cleaner break from the stalls than he did at Leicester on April 29.
LETHAL NYMPH
6.35 Windsor
This qualifier for the excellent Fitzdares Sprint Series, a key feature of the summer season at Windsor, looks all set to be a pace burn-up from the get-go with forward-going sprinters in Haymaker, Indian Creak and Count Otto drawn low in gates one to three.
It could, at least in theory, set up nicely for Clive Cox's top weight LETHAL NYMPH who looks likely to sit just behind that early speed and will get a lovely pull into the race from stall four. He'll have little pace pressure coming from hold-up performer May Sonic on his outside in stall five and the three drawn below him can hopefully set the race up.
Carrying top weight under Adam Kirby, the four-year-old has a hint of class about him at this level having won twice in Class Two company at Ascot in September.
Having made a belated debut at three, he looked to be an improving model throughout last season and with a below-par run at York on reportedly tacky ground entirely forgivable, I think he can take another step forward this season. A good run here could set him up to get in the Wokingham Stakes back at Ascot at the Royal meeting.
GLENCALVIE
7.05 Windsor
Having trained the winner in 2021 but missed out with both a second and third last year, I'm going to side with Ralph Beckett to again have success in this well-above-average Fillies' Maiden.
It won't be straightforward, with the massively enhanced prize of £20,616 undoubtedly attracting the big names as Charlie Appleby, Roger Varian, Sir Michael Stoute and John and Thady Gosden all send horses to the one-mile contest.
Beckett's daughter of Gleneagles made a promising debut at Lingfield in November finishing readily ahead of the re-opposing Fleurir, who has since returned with a good run at Newcastle in behind a highly-rated filly. Kicking for home that day, GLENCALVIE conceded first run to a Haggas filly who had the benefit of a run to her name and it was a promising effort in behind.
NOBLE MASQUERADE
7.35 Windsor
Everything looks perfect for Eve Johnson Houghton's two-time course winner to run another big race here returned to what I'd say were his optimum conditions.
All three career wins have come when blinkers were applied and both turf wins came on Good to Firm ground over course & distance at Class Four level. With those wins coming off marks of 76 and 83, his current rating of 79 looks a workable one with Georgia Dobie claiming her useful 3lb off his back.
You don't have to go far back through his form to find a good run here, with a respectable fourth in a higher grade here back in October also coming on better ground under Dobie. Having fallen a further 4lb down the handicap since, he makes excellent each-way appeal here at odds of 6/1 (at the time of writing).
Watch every race from Windsor live on Sky Sports Racing on Monday, May 22.
