Balding's Bankers: Monday night racing at Royal Windsor Racecourse (June 6)

Tonight Royal Windsor Racecourse marks 150 years of horseracing and to help celebrations get off with a swing I am joining a Euro preview panel with Stuart Pierce as well as marking the card ahead of this evening’s racing as well as looking ahead to the feature races at Royal Ascot next week.  The first panel kicks off at 4.45pm – so hope to see you there.

The first race this evening is for two year olds.  There are two horses who have raced previously Golden Guest and Bara Brith and racecourse experience is always a plus, however Godolphin have Bin Battuta declared with James Doyle booked to ride.  I would expect the horse is showing promise at home and the boys in blue clearly should be respected.

Hannington and Spiritual Star are two horses I used to train. And, the later of the pair showed a lot of promise as a two year old and we ran him in the Dewhurst.  He is running off nine stone six and I would say should be very competitive at this weight.

Prendergast Hill, who Ed de Giles saddles and has a good record at Windsor, is a horse that should suit the track and has been running in higher grade races compared with tonight’s race and he could improve on his form.

Passover is the first of my three runners at Windsor tonight.   He ran well at Windsor three weeks ago, however form wise he needs to improve against Baadi, two time course and distance winner this season and the unbeaten Sparring.  Sparring hasn’t run this season but is clearly improving and I feel is the one too beat this evening.

I would be disappointed in Dark Shot, from my stable, doesn’t oblige in the fifth race.  He has run three cracking races this season and been a bit unlucky and we are hoping for a strong run.

Marco Botti saddles Darksiteofthemoon and has booked Andrea Atzeni to ride, who knows Windsor well and has a good draw in stall six.  In theory as this is a classified race horses rated around the 75 mark should have more of a chance and this horse falls into this bracket.

In the last race I have This Is For You and I hope he will run well. He is very speedy and has course distance form when finishing second here last August.  He has yet to run this season but he is in good form at home.

See you at Windsor tonight!

Gates Open: 4pm

First Race 6pm

www.windsor-racecourse.co.uk