Windsor’s long-established series of Monday evening fixtures end on an upbeat note tomorrow Monday, August 22, with Carribean Carnival night. Nearly 90,000 racegoers have attended the previous 16 Monday evenings at the Thames-side course this year - a new record.
The unique atmosphere on Monday evenings at Royal Windsor Racecourse partly explains the increased popularity - last the year the first 16 evenings attracted 75,000 racegoers - while continued investment by owners Arena Leisure, which in 2005 meant the paddock lawn area was extended by 50% and extensive landscaping opened up the view of the River Thames and Windsor Castle, is another factor.
The biggest Monday evening crowd this year was on Irish Night, July 11, when just over 9,000 people came through the gates, and Ladies’ Night on August 1 attracted over 7,000 racegoers.
Caribbean Carnival Night tomorrow features steel bands, limbo dancers, cocktails, and Caribbean cuisine.
Boogie Wonderland will play live on the Paddock Lawn after racing, giving an extra element to the last Monday evening of the season. The first of the six races, which have 75 declared runners between them, takes place at 5.25pm.
As well as providing great entertainment for racegoers, Windsor’s Monday evening fixtures have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity this year.
The charity evenings staged in 2005 were as follows
1) Animal Health Trust
2) Royal Veterinary College
3) British Eventing - attended by many of the Olympic squad
4) CLIC Sargent which helps children suffering from cancer and leukaemia
- organised by Eddie and Marie Jordan
5) Great Ormond Street Hospital and St John's Ambulance
6) Princess Royal Trust for Carers - attended by HRH The Princess Royal
Once again, great racing was witnessed during the Monday evening programme. Perhaps the highlight was Baltic King’s breaking of the six-furlong course record in the Listed Wolseley plc Leisure Stakes in May, when beating Group One winner Patavellian by half a length.
Fort Dignity was a popular winner for Newmarket trainer Sir Michael Stoute when justifying favouritism in the Listed Palm Beach Casino Stakes during the same month, getting the better of a tremendous finish by a neck from Take A Bow. Sir Michael often sends highly-regarded horses to Windsor and the winner lined up in the Group One Prix d’Ispahan in France on his next start.
Some smart two-year-olds have also been seen in action including Crocodile Bay and Green Park, first and second in the Wilman Interiors Maiden Stakes in April.
The former went on to be placed in two Listed races, including the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot at York, while Green Park subsequently represented Richard Hannon in the Group Two July Stakes at Newmarket.
Another Hannon-trained horse, Green Pride, won the attheraces.com Novice Stakes the following month and the Piccolo colt was later placed in the Listed Woodcote Stakes at Epsom.
Art Market, trained by Paul Cole, was successful in the ladbrokes.com EBF Maiden Stakes in July. He has not raced since but is very well thought of and holds entries in the Mill Reef Stakes and Middle Park Stakes.
Among the handicappers, Abientot, trained by Brian Meehan, took the five-furlong BDO Stoy Hayward LLP Handicap in May prevailing in a brilliant finish by the narrowest of margins from Auwitesweetheart.
The winner was subsequently successful in a handicap at Glorious Goodwood, when making virtually all under Frankie McDonald who was also in the saddle at Windsor.
For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink
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