Kompany fancied as Moore gets back in saddle

7.20 Windsor
Sky Bet Royal Windsor Stakes (Listed Race)1m | 3yo+ | ATR

This Listed contest was not run last year as the fixture was abandoned after three races due to slippery bends and Charlie Hills will be hoping there are no such hiccups as he saddles the admirably consistent Jallota, who will face six rivals.

Entered in next month's Queen Anne, the Fitri Hay-owned six-year-old makes his second start of the season, having finished third behind a pair of race-fit rivals in the Group 2 bet365 Mile last month.

"We were very happy with his comeback run at Sandown and, while he's got a 5lb penalty for his Group 3 win last year, he should enjoy the ground and trip," said Hills.

"It's a tight race but he has a nice enough draw and the track should suit. He's been running consistently well and is improving all the time."

Two contenders who finished behind Jallota last time reoppose with Mitchum Swagger (fifth) and Kool Kompany (eighth) aiming to turn around the form.

More was expected from Kool Kompany following his victory in the Listed Doncaster Mile Stakes and trainer Richard Hannon expects the course winner to bounce back.

"He's got a good chance as the ground should suit him," he said. "Ryan Moore is back on and hopefully he'll run better than he did at Sandown."

Mitchum Swagger's trainer David Lanigan is hoping enough rain materialises for the five-year-old to take his chance.

"Hopefully there'll be some rain because if there's firm in the description he won't run," he said. "It looks a nice opportunity and while he ran well at Sandown, he needed it."

Firmament comes into the race off the back of a promising comeback run when third in a similar contest at Ascot. Trainer David O'Meara said: "He had a great year last year running some big handicaps and looked ready for the step up in class, and and we're very happy with him.

"He had the option of running at York [in the Listed Hambleton Handicap] where he would have to give weight away in a big field and this looks a more suitable race."

There will be interest from further afield in how Kaspersky, who finished third – one place behind Jallota – in a Group 1 at San Siro last September for previous trainer Endo Botti, fares on his second start for Jane Chapple-Hyam as the six-year-old is being lined up for the Queen Anne with Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne coming over to ride.

"There's a small field and we'll probably go forward and hopefully he'll be in the first three," said the trainer.

"He has to build on his comeback at Ascot when he just got tired hitting the rising ground but it was his first run since October and it was probably a hard enough task."