Blue Day bids to take next step up sprinting ladder - analysis and key quotes for feature Windsor handicap

Blue Day, a lightly raced improver from the Harry Charlton stable, will be the focus of much attention.

The Blue Point colt was firmly on top at the finish when coming from off the pace to land a Class 3 handicap at Southwell in April by a length and a half from Twilight Romance.

It’s unlikely that form amounts to much, but Blue Day retains plenty of scope for further improvement off a 7lb higher mark.

The hat-trick-seeking Jimmy Speaking is also likely to have plenty of supporters if trainer Chris Dwyer gives him the go-ahead.

Withdrawn from a recent engagement at Newmarket on account of the fast ground, Dwyer will be keeping a close eye on the weather before committing his three-year-old, who has progressed nicely this term with wins at Chelmsford and Ascot. In short, he could still be fairly treated off 82.

He didn’t look entirely straightforward at Ascot, though, and it is no surprise Dwyer fits cheekpieces for the first time to aid his focus.

Cajetan will require a personal-best performance off a career-high mark of 85, but he has won two of his three starts this season after being gelded over the winter and there could be more to come.

His trainer Jack Channon has struck with three of his ten runners at Windsor this season.

Course-and-distance winner Trefor possesses plenty of early pace, will love the ground, and looks capable of a bold performance from a good draw in stall five.
Analysis by Richard Birch

Jack Channon: 30 per cent strike-rate at Windsor this yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Going latest

Conditions are currently good to firm at Windsor ahead of the Monday evening card, having been dry since Thursday. 

Clerk of the course Charlie Rees will water the track to maintain conditions after a GoingStick reading of 9.1 on Sunday morning. 

"We're good to firm all over at the moment after 10.2 millimetres of rain since our last fixture on May 25," Rees said at noon on Sunday. 

"We didn't quite catch as much rain as everyone else around us over the last few days. It's a lovely day here today and Monday looks like it'll be overcast but around 18C."

What they say

Roger Varian, trainer of Moswaat
He probably needed his first run back at Newmarket last month, but he's in great form. He'll be better suited to this flat track and we're looking forward to getting him out again. He did most of his racing on easier surfaces last autumn so we'll see how he handles the going. It's a competitive race for the grade, but he should run well.

Jack Channon, trainer of Cajetan
He's in great form at the moment, but we're drawn ten of ten which is obviously a bit tricky. He's been progressive so far and we're hopeful of a good run. I'll want to monitor how quick the ground is, because if it is rapid then we do have an alternative at Haydock on Thursday, but hopefully conditions should be okay.

Harry Charlton, trainer of Blue Day
Blue Day looks to be in top form and we're looking forward to getting him back on track. He's a nice horse.

James Tate, trainer of Royal Zabeel
I haven't had him that long at all, and he appeared to not get seven furlongs on his seasonal debut, so we're dropping him back in trip here. He's won over this distance before and I feel like the quick ground should suit him. He's done a nice piece of work since he's been here, but to some extent it's a little bit of a fact-finding mission.
Reporting by Catherine Macrae

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