Windsor plunged into darkness as racing delayed by thunderstorm following extraordinary weather change

Racing at Windsor on Monday evening was delayed due to lightning in the area after an extraordinary thunderstorm hit the track moments before the first race started.

The weather was dry and sunny as horses went to post and started to enter the stalls for the opening 5f apprentice handicap at 5.08pm but by the time the gates opened the sky had turned grey and rain was lashing down at the Berkshire venue.

Stewards at Windsor paused racing before the start of the second race, scheduled at 5.40, for 15 minutes due to the stormy weather and the stalls were not used for the 6f fillies' novice stakes for two-year-olds, with lightning still a threat.

The horses are barely visible as the field exits the stalls in Windsor's opening contest Credit: Sky Sports Racing

There was a false start in that race, in which three runners were making their racecourse debut, before Pink Satin surprised at odds of 11-1.

The storm passed through the area and did not interrupt racing further as dry weather resumed for the rest of the card. The going description of good was also unchanged despite the deluge.

Richard Kingscote, jockey of Pink Satin, said: "I'd probably say the ground is more good to soft now, the rain has gone down into it rather than sitting on the top. There's a bit of water in there now and it is what it is."

Times for the first two races over 5f and 6f were slower than Racing Post Standard by 4.87s and 1.2s while the 1m2f novice stakes was 8.05s behind the standard.

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