Maltese Falcon to swoop at Windsor

LONDON: Windsor stage the last of their popular Monday evening fixtures for the season with Michael Bell’s Naughty Girl looking the best bet on the card in the Tote For Football Betting Handicap. Just touched off over six furlongs at the track at the end of July — the winner has since run second off a considerably higher mark — she was then almost pulled up at Lingfield next time out. Traffic problems that day caused several horses to be withdrawn due to prolonged times in their horseboxes. Naughty Girl was one of those affected, and although she ran, she finished distressed and can be forgiven the run, allowing her the chance to follow up her recent Hamilton success. Trainer Andrew Balding sends Opera Glass to Windsor to contest the OKI Colour Printer Challenge Fillies’ Rated Stakes. Although the same grade as the race she contested at Goodwood, Opera Glass is unlikely to meet another Hoh Buzzard — who went on to score in Listed company at Salisbury last Wednesday.

Hoh Buzzard was three lengths in front of Opera Glass at Goodwood and she in turn was over a length ahead of the rest of the field, form which can see her home today. The second race on Windsor’s card, the Reading Evening Post and Wokingham and Bracknell Classified Stakes, can go to Shasta, who put a decent performance at Newmarket nine days ago. The four-year-old has only gone up one pound for that second and another bold show is on the cards on this less testing track. However, the day’s best bet looks to be Maltese Falcon in the Weatherbys Bank Conditions Stakes at Nottingham. Maltese Falcon, from the in-form Paul Cole yard, is a very progressive sprinter and although without a win this season has nonetheless run with credit in his three starts. His best effort coming last time when he was beaten just half a length by Victorieux in a Listed race at Deauville. Maltese Falcon would not have to improve too much to land the nap at Colwick Park.