Windsor Preview: Cafe Society can exploit class drop

Cafe Society drops back in grade in the extended 1m 3f handicap at Windsor this evening (8.05), and looks a worthy favourite to take advantage and land the spoils.

The David Simcock trained gelding was a progressive sort last year, winning a class 3 handicap at Salisbury in facile fashion before going on to run three solid races in decent contests.

The son of Motivator was desperately unlucky in the first of those when going down by a neck to Bold Sniper at Ascot, where he travelled powerfully into the contest on the bridle but found himself trapped with nowhere to go a furlong from home.

The winner, from whom Cafe Society was receiving 9lbs, is a useful sort rated 99, and the third home London Bridge went on to finish fourth in a listed race in France before landing the Breeders’ Cup Marathon and is now rated 105.

That is strong form, and Cafe Society went on to finish a good fourth of 14 to Excellent Result at Ascot off 89 and a solid runner-up to Winterlude at Lingfield off today’s mark of 90.

The four-year-old also shaped better than the bare result suggests when not getting a clear run when sixth of 14 to Mighty Yar in a class 2 handicap at Newmarket on his seasonal reappearance, and now drops back into the same grade as when last successful.

Kool Kompany faces just four rivals as he puts his Royal Ascot credentials on the line in the 5f juvenile contest (7.05), and is fully expected to come through with flying colours.

The Richard Hannon trained colt looked an above average sort when making a winning debut at Leicester, and the form of the race has been boosted by the runner-up Haxby scoring in good style next time up.
Kool Kompany is already been talked as as one of Hannon’s leading contenders for the Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting, and granted normal improvement should prove too strong for Merdon Castle.

In the mile fillies’ maiden (7.35), Bragging looks the one they all have to beat after a highly promising debut run.

The daughter of Exchange Rate got outpaced and ran green before staying on strongly to finish a 2 1/2 length third of 11 to Etaab in a 7f contest at Lingfield, leaving the distinct impression that there was plenty more to come.