Windsor preview: Nisser looks a cut above, punters heard it through Grapevine

David Metcalf | May 9, 2016

Nisser weighted to strike

Nisser can take advantage of what looks a lenient opening handicap mark to make a winning return to action in the 6f contest on this evening’s card at Windsor (18:50).

The Richard Hannon trained colt shaped really when on his racecourse debut at Newmarket when stumbling at the start before showing plenty of pace to chase the leaders and weakening late on to finish a 3 1/2 length third to Shalaa.

Shalaa went on to develop into one of the best juveniles seen last season, winning two Group 2 contests and a brace of Group 1s to be rated 121.

That is very strong form, and Nisser was then far from disgraced next time up when fourth at Ascot before opening his account in terrific style at Lingfield.

The three-year-old ran on strongly to easily beat Dream Destination by 3 3/4 lengths, and the runner-up has won since and finished runner-up in a Group 3 to be rated 95.

Judged on those runs, the assessor looks to have taken a huge chance in allotting Nisser a mark of just 85.

The son of Dream Ahead also remains lightly-raced and unexposed – unlike the vast majority of his rivals – and, if ready to rock at the first time of asking, is going to be very hard to beat.

Grapevine has plenty going for him

In the 1m 2f handicap (18:20), Grapevine can build on promising reappearance run to open his account.