'This race is going to go like the Chesham' - Richard Hughes and Dylan Cunha add to criticism of Windsor Castle changes

Richard Hughes and Dylan Cunha have joined Eve Johnson Houghton in criticising the announced changes to the Windsor Castle Stakes for next year's Royal Ascot.

The Windsor Castle will move from five to six furlongs in 2026 and be restricted to runners whose sire won over at least seven furlongs as a two-year-old or a mile-plus at three and older. The change was made by the BHA Flat Pattern Committee as part of efforts to strengthen middle-distance and staying divisions.

Johnson Houghton, who won Wednesday's race with bargain buy Havana Hurricane, called the move "nonsensical" and feared it would mean bigger operations continued to dominate. Her runner and Albany scorer Venetian Sun were the only two-year-old winners not owned by Coolmore and Wathnan last week.

Hughes, who saddled Shaman Champion to finish ninth in Wednesday's race, said: "The Windsor Castle is one of the best races. I just don't get it. 

This year's Windsor Castle Stakes was won by the Eve Johnson Houghton trained Havana HurricaneCredit: Patrick McCann

"Myself and Eve run a business on finding horses for that race. A lot of owners are not interested in horses that need to be a three-year-old to realise their full potential, and it costs a lot of money. 

"You're paying £45,000 in training fees just to get them handicapped. People want to buy a horse which can run right away and don't want to wait to find out if they're good or not.

"It's hard for the smaller trainers; this is the only race we can be competitive in. The Norfolk this year had as good a two-year-old as I've seen [Charles Darwin] and the Coventry winner looks like a Guineas horse.

"This race is going to go like the Chesham, which isn't that great. There were only nine runners and two of them were making their first start. Very few of those horses are ready for a race at Royal Ascot at this time of year."

Dylan Cunha saddled 80-1 Kamakameleon to finish fifth Wednesday's Windsor Castle and added to concerns over the future of the race.

"Royal Ascot is not for the smaller trainer; it's getting harder and that's always a worry," he said. "Our two-year-olds ran great during the week but this would be a concern. 

"I don't agree with the decision but I don't think a lot is going to change. The race might end up like the Chesham, which wasn't a great race this year, that's why we had a runner in it [Tailgunner Joe]. It's not the best two-year-old race, so we saw it as a great opportunity."

The BHA did not want to comment when contacted.

Read more:

Eve Johnson Houghton slams 'nonsensical' changes to Windsor Castle and reveals options for her winner Havana Hurricane 

Why not make it a big sprint Saturday? Racing Post reporters raise their big talking points from Royal Ascot 

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