'The form looks good and we're hopeful of a big run' - key quotes and analysis for competitive mares' handicap chase at Windsor

Jump racing returned to Windsor for the first time in 20 years last month and the jockeys appeared to take a cautious approach, which led to a series of sprint finishes on the card.

That was particularly true early in the day when the mean finishing speed percentage of the first five races came in at 111 per cent. That shows the horses were completing the last four furlongs 11 per cent faster than their average race speed, so the emphasis was on pure pace.

It will be fascinating to see whether that is still the case now that the jockeys have experience of riding the track, but the tight nature of the circuit probably means that they won’t want to turn on the afterburners until all the bends have been negotiated. Speed will again be the key.

That is an important consideration in this race because overnight market leaders Party Vibes and Panic Attack have both done their recent racing at shorter. Party Vibes, in particular, comes in unproven over this far and having won at Exeter last time over a much sharper test.

She is up two and a half furlongs in trip now, but Exeter has a stiff finish and it was stamina, rather than speed, that was key for her last time. She should stay this far around this track.

We know Panic Attack stays because she has won over the distance and she did good late work when third over three and a half furlongs shorter at Newbury last month. Her last victory over this far came around Huntingdon, another tight track, so this venue will suit.

It’s far from a two-horse race, though. Law Ella and Ilovethenightlife are likely to have a say and that will definitely be the case if it doesn’t develop into a sprint. Mayhem Mya is no slowcoach herself, having won six times over shorter, most recently at Exeter.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Dan Skelton, trainer of Sacre Coeur and Panic Attack
Sacre Coeur is just too high in the handicap. The handicapper overreacted to her Plumpton win. This step up in trip and return to fences are positives for Panic Attack. Let's hope she can give a good run here.

Lucy Wadham, trainer of Game On For Glory 
She's in good form and the ground will suit. The track is an unknown but she seems a professional now. She was quite a big price when she won at Cheltenham and I think she's a big enough price for this.

Henry Daly, trainer of Party Vibes
She's only run a couple of times over fences and is a novice taking on more professional horses. That said, she's jumped very nicely and won well last time. She looks on a nice mark and we'll see how we get on. I'm not sure about the track, I haven't been there for 20 years.

Chris Honour, trainer of Mayhem Mya
I was so proud of her at Exeter last time. We'd had a bit of a nightmare season but it was great to see. The form looks good after the third came out and won on Monday. This is the first time we're going for a good handicap and not being out of the weights, unlike when she was fourth at Aintree, so we're hopeful of a big run.
Reporting by James Stevens

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