Good morning from Newmarket. We conclude a busy few days with two runners at Windsor, and hopefully they can both run with credit.
In the 2.45 Annexation has his third run in the six-furlong 3-4yo novice. This lad has shown promise coming from off the pace at both Salisbury and Lingfield, and hopefully he is learning with experience. He might want a little further once handicapping in time, but he should be ready to give a good account. The race features a penalised firs-time out winner and four unraced sorts, so it is very difficult to gauge exactly what we are up against.
Later, in the mile fillies’ handicap at 4.25, Arctic Spirit returns to Windsor having run very well at the track on her last outing in May. On that occasion she was a 25/1 shot, but defied those odds to get involved in a photo finish with a thrusting late drive. She will be much nearer the head of the market today, and as a tough and consistent filly, proven at the track, there is every reason to expect her to run well. She is fairly rather than brilliantly handicapped, and I wonder if she might prefer a little more ease in the ground – she handles it quick but genuinely good ground would probably be more suitable than rattling fast. So there are one or two little hurdles to bridge, and it is a very competitive race, but hopefully she will run with credit as she usually does.
Best wishes,
Ed.