Ulysses conqueror Chain Of Daisies bids for Winter Hill repeat

Windsor may be famous for its Monday night meetings throughout the summer, but the track’s premier evening fixture, which features the Group 3 Bet & Watch At sunbets.co.uk Winter Hill Stakes, annually falls on a Saturday.

The form of last year’s race has been highlighted on several occasions this year by the wonderfully progressive Ulysses, now a dual Group 1 hero after landing Wednesday’s pulsating Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

Ulysses, the 8-11 favourite, finished runner-up in the Winter Hill 12 months ago, beaten a short head in a stirring finish by Chain Of Daisies, who faces seven rivals as she defends her crown.

The Henry Candy-trained mare has yet to recapture that level of form in two starts so far this season, but ought to have ground conditions very much to her liking.

“I’m very happy with the way she is,” Candy said. “It’s going to be a hard race to win. She likes to make the running and there are one or two others in there who go from the front as well.

“We had other options with her this weekend - the Strensall at York and the Snow Fairy at the Curragh - but picked the one with the best ground. Chain Of Daisies has got to have fast ground; the firmer the better.”

Although it is highly unlikely there is a horse of similar ability to Ulysses in this year’s line-up, in terms of overall depth it looks a significantly stronger contest.

Brian Meehan, trainer of Spark Plug, is entitled to be upbeat about the prospects of his six-year-old following a string of fine efforts this season.

Meehan said: “He was an emphatic winner last time out at Sandown in a Listed race. The race conditions look ideal, his work has been strong, and we couldn’t be more pleased with him going into the race. Jimmy Fortune, who gets on so well with him, is back on board.”

Conditions will suit King Bolete

King Bolete has a bit to find on official ratings in the Listed Sri Lanka August Stakes, but the sole course-and-distance scorer in an eight-runner field should not be underestimated.

The Roger Varian-trained five-year-old ran well under a big weight in a good Ascot handicap last time, and his trainer said: “He won a handicap over course and distance earlier in the summer and, while the return to stakes company will require a career-best effort, these conditions suit him well and he should run another honest race.”

The Roger Charlton-trained Second Step, runner-up to Poet’s Word in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood last time, arguably sets the standard on this year’s form and is likely to start favourite.

Meehan is also optimistic about the chances of Agent Murphy, who blew away the cobwebs on his first start for well over a year at Newbury last Saturday.

Agent Murphy finished runner-up to Order Of St George in the Irish St Leger two years ago, and the trainer said: “We were very pleased with his run last week at Newbury and we feel as though it will have brought him on nicely. We'd like to think he has a very good chance.”

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