Windsor Preview: Harwoods Star can shine under Hughes

Harwoods Star looks to hold outstanding claims of landing the 1m handicap on this evening’s card at Windsor (9.00) now partnered by champion jockey Richard Hughes for the first time.

The Amanda Perrett trained gelding has posted two solid efforts this season, finishing runner-up to Sweet Martoni at Goodwood before being beaten just a length into third in an amateur riders’ handicap over 7f on fast ground at Salisbury.

The four-year-old kept on well to be beaten just 1 1/4 lengths in the latter, without getting too much assistance from the saddle, and it was an effort which suggested the son of Danehill Dancer would soon be in the winners’ enclosure.

Harwoods Star is sure to benefit from the stronger handling he gets this evening, and looks weighted to take all the beating in what looks a very winnable class 5 contest lacking any real strength in depth.

In the 1m 2f handicap (7.30), Tinshu makes plenty of each-way appeal having dropped to a dangerous mark.

The Derek Haydn Jones trained mare is on a long losing run having not scored since landing a class 2 handicap on the all-weather at Lingfield in November 2012 off a rating of 92.

However, the eight-year-old has run a number of solid races to hit the frame and now gets into this off just 77.

That is the lowest rating that Tinshu has run off in nearly five years, and gives the daughter of Fantastic Light a big chance at the weights.

Another plus is that Tinshu is a dual course and distance winner, and with underfoot condtions to suit and Hayley Turner in the saddle, she looks overpriced at the odds on offer.

Trainer Marco Botti does well with his runners at the track, and his Special Miss could be on a potentially lenient mark in the extended 1m 3f handicap (8.00).

The Newmarket handler has a strike rate of nearly 21.5% at the Royal venue in the past 12 months, and Special Miss is an unexposed type whose current mark of 62 should be exploitable judged on her debut run when third at Kempton back in November.