Windsor Preview: St Georges Rock can collect for Cox

Windsor kick off their season with a competitive eight-raced card today, and the progressive St Georges Rock can take advantage of what looks a lenient mark to open his account in the 1m handicap (4.10).

The Clive Cox-trained colt has only had three starts and was sent off a well-backed 7/2 second-favourite on debut when trailing in 11th of 13 behind Elm Park in a warm 7f contest at Newbury.

Although eventually beaten a long way, better was clearly expected and St Georges Rock duly put in a much better effort next time up at this venue when finishing a promising fifth under tender handling.

The son of Camacho then stepped up again to round off the campaign with a solid third of 13 to Magic Dancer over course and distance, racing prominently until weakening late on to be beaten three lengths on soft ground.

That effort suggested St Georges Rock will have more to offer in handicaps this season, and an opening mark of 73 could well under estimate his ability if that proves to be the case.

The better ground that St Georges Rock now encounters for the first time should also suit, and another plus is that his trainer has a decent strike rate of just under 21 per cent at the track in the past 12 months.

In the 1m 3f handicap that rounds off proceedings (5.10), May Be Some Time looks weighted to take all the beating.

The Stuart Kittow-trained gelding is a three-time winner on the flat, with the last of those successes coming in a class 4 handicap at Epsom back in 2012 off a mark of 67.

May Be Some Time went on to finish runner-up off 73, and is now able to race off just 62 in this class 5 affair.

That is a career-low rating, and makes the seven-year-old extremely well-treated now returned to the level after a spell over the jumps.

May Be Some Time also comes into the contest fit and in good form having won a handicap hurdle at Taunton last month with tons in hand.

The booking of Silvestre De Sousa to do the steering also catches the eye, and everything points to a huge run.

Selections:
1.40: Fit
2.10: Acolyte
2.40: Winterval
3.10: Uele River
3.40: Mister Mayday
4.10: St Georges Rock (NAP)
4.40: Kastini
5.10: May Be Some Time (NB)