Windsor, Monday 18 May 2026 — Evening Card Preview

Windsor, Monday 18 May 2026 — Evening Card Preview

A decent three-race card at Windsor this evening, with good ground conditions across the board. The straight five-furlong sprint is the race of the night, but there are angles worth pursuing in both juvenile contests too. Clive Cox has a big runner at short odds in the handicap, but the market may have got that one wrong.

5:05 — Juddmonte EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes (6f, 2yo)

Concert Pitch heads the market on the back of a second and a third from two runs, which gives Tom Marquand’s mount the clearest form line in the race. An RPR of 81 puts him clear on ratings and Brian Ellison’s yard has been ticking over, picking up a winner from 18 runners in the past fortnight. The step up from debut experience should help, and good ground at Windsor over six furlongs suits the profile of a horse placed twice already.

The value angle, though, is Top Cote Each-Way at 7/1 with Boyle Sports or Betfred. Jack Morland’s colt showed enough in two runs, going 2-3 in the market, to suggest a small yard has a horse that handles a fair level of competition. His form figures of 2-3 read better than most in this field of 12 debutants and lightly raced types. With three places on offer at 1/5 odds, there is a clear each-way case at 7/1 in a big field where the favourite is only 11/4.

Fire Thunder also deserves respect. Marco Botti has gone 3 from 11 in the last two weeks, which is a yard firing on all cylinders, and this filly ran second on debut. Four/one feels short enough that Concert Pitch is the better win option, but Botti’s form stats make her dangerous to leave out entirely.

Selection: Top Cote (Each-Way) at 7/1

5:40 — Fitzdares Sprint Series Handicap (5f, Handicap)

Redorange is trading at 11/8 favourite and, on raw numbers, the RPR of 114 and a TS of 102 are comfortably the best figures in the race. Clive Cox has 3 winners from 21 runners recently, which is modest rather than electric. The form string of 3287-8 hardly screams confidence either. That seventh at the end of the sequence on reappearance is concerning, and backing 11/8 shots in five-furlong handicaps off that kind of run takes a bit of faith.

Regal Envoy is the selection at 4/1 with Boyle Sports or Betfred. The seven-year-old gelding ran a solid third and then a first on his last two starts, so he arrives here with his confidence up and William Knight’s yard has been in fine form, sending out 3 winners from 13 runners in the past fortnight. An RPR of 115 makes him the highest-rated horse in the race on that measure, and good ground at Windsor should be no issue. Saffie Osborne takes the ride, and she knows this track well on the evening circuit.

Adrestia at 15/2 is a horse worth noting each-way. Simon and Ed Crisford have had a quiet recent spell, but Tom Marquand is on board and this filly’s form string of 14226 reads as consistent placed form. She probably just misses the each-way flag on value grounds at 15/2 with a field of 11, but she won’t be far away.

Selection: Regal Envoy at 4/1

6:10 — Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (1m, 3yo)

William Haggas has been running his string into form, producing 13 winners from 47 runners in the last fortnight. That kind of strike rate from a top handler is the single biggest green flag on a card. Chimes Of Thunder is the result of that stat made flesh, and the 11/8 price is fully understandable. An RPR of 92 towers over the field, and a form line of 6-2 suggests the second run improvement has already arrived. She should handle good ground at a mile with no difficulty.

The value play, however, is Tahalel at 11/2 with Boyle Sports or Betfred. Richard Hannon has been the busiest trainer in the country in recent weeks, sending out 8 winners from 56 runners, and this filly arrives off a close third at Doncaster over seven furlongs on good to firm ground. The Spotlight notes she went down fighting at Doncaster, which matters. Stepping up to a mile should suit her, and Pat Dobbs takes over in the saddle. An RPR of 87 makes her a genuine rival to the favourite, and at over 4/1 she represents clear value against Chimes Of Thunder.

Trelissick at 7/1 for Andrew Balding, who has been churning out winners all spring, is a horse to keep onside each-way if you want cover. An RPR of 75 off a single run suggests she could improve significantly.

Selection: Tahalel at 11/2

Today’s NAP