2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Preview – DS
2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Preview
We managed to land another nice winner on Saturday. Dave Stevos’ 18/1 NAP was backed into 7/2 and duly obliged by a neck. That’s two winning NAPs in a row at 28s and 18s, can he complete the hat-trick on Sunday? Dave’s 2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday tips are below.
1.20 Windsor – Hampton Novices’ Chase (Grade 2)
The ground is currently soft at Windsor and the jury is out on whether that is ideal for the 2/1 fav Salver. Yes, he has won over hurdles at 2m on soft and heavy ground but when he has raced beyond the minimum distance on soft, he is 0-3 so he does have something to prove and he also wears cheekpieces for the first time.
Wade Out will certainly have no issues with the prevailing conditions and neither will Moon Rocket, but Doyen Quest will. I was tempted by Laurens Bay at a price here but whether he will get 3m on soft ground is far from certain and he finished a long way behind Salver at Sandown the last day.
With just six runners, we’ll sit this one out. No bet.
2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Tip: No Bet
1.50 Windsor – Great Park Handicap Chase (Class 2)
The one that makes most appeal here is the old boy, Nells Son. He’s just about big enough for the blog at 8/1 and he should be approaching peak fitness now after a couple of decent runs this season.
On his return to action at Carlisle in November, he ran a pleasing race over hurdles and then a month later at Kelso he finished a 15.5l fourth behind Saint Segal at Kelso. His last win came at Kelso in December 2024 when he lowered the colours of Matata off a mark of 144. He gets in here off a mark of 141 so on that form, he is looking well handicapped.
He does have to carry a lot of weight here but he is the class horse in the race and while he isn’t getting any younger, if he retains even 90% of his old ability, he should be able to make his presence felt in this company. Since I wrote this preview he has shortened into 8/1 from 10s but I’ll stick with him.
2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Tip: Nells Son e/w @ 8/1
2.15 Thurles – Mares’ Novice Chase (Grade 2)
This looks a penalty kick for Jade De Grugy. The Grade 1 winning hurdler found just The Big Westerner too good at Limerick last month and she should be up to going one place better here.
On paper, Tareze looks the chief danger but she’s finished pretty well beaten in all three of her chase starts and she might just prefer more forgiving ground. Given that she is rated 125 and Stormalong is rated 121, there might be some value in the latter’s odds at 16/1.
David Budds’ daughter of September Storm has filled fourth place in all three of her chase starts but two of those came at a higher level than what Tareze has been running at. She kept on to finish 19l behind July Flower in a listed heat at Limerick (19f, yld-sft), where she finished 8l behind Tareze and then she was beaten 7.25l behind Spindleberry at Clonmel over 2m5f.
Last time at this venue she was miles behind Kappa Jy Pyke and Salvator Mundi but there is nothing of their calibre in this contest. To me, it looks a straight fight between Stormalong and Tareze for second place here and with odds of 16/1 on offer, the former is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.
2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Tip: Stormalong e/w @ 16/1
2.25 Windsor – Weatherbys Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
Robbie Llewellyn won this race last year with our old pal Titan Discovery. This time, he relies upon Love Of Neymore, an 8yo daughter of Gentlewave who was a winner at Chepstow (23.5f, gd-sft) last month off a mark of 113.
She got hiked up 5lb for that success but she shaped promisingly enough off her revised mark at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day when she finished a 4.25l third behind Ma Shantou on ground that was probably quick enough for her.
The return to softer ground here is a plus and while this is a career high mark, she has only had ten runs over hurdles so there is every chance there could be more improvement to come from her. As an added bonus, the form of her Chepstow win was franked by the runner up Champagne Chic at Wincanton on Friday.
If she can get to the front early and dictate, hopefully Love Of Neymore can make a bold bid at odds of 14/1.
2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Tip: Love Of Neymore e/w @ 14/1 (4 places) NAP
3.00 Windsor – Fleur de Lys Chase (Class 2)
Protektorat won this last year but he’s an 11yo now, he has undergone wind surgery and he’ll need to be close to his best to repeat the dose. The bold front runner Matata is fascinating upped further in trip after his 2m4f win on latest and Handstands, who has also recently had a wind procedure, is another live contender dropped back to a more suitable trip after a moderate run over 25.5f at Haydock last time.
Resplendent Grey beat Handstands at Carlisle back in November and while he disappointed upped to 3m2f at Newbury last time, he’s another potential fly in the ointment dropping back in distance. However, with just two places on offer and question marks about most of them, we’ll give this race a wide berth. No bet.
2026 Windsor & Thurles Sunday Tip: No bet
3.35 Windsor – Stayers’ Handicap Chase (Class 3)
The most interesting one at a price here is Latenightrumble. Yes, he has been disappointing in both starts this season but he’s capable of better and as a result of those two below par efforts, he is back to the mark off which he finished a 2.5l second at Wetherby (3m, soft) last February.
His sole win came off 110, also at Wetherby (3m, soft), in December 2024, so he will admittedly need a career best but the extra half mile here might just eke out a bit more improvement. He’s never raced over this far but the longest trip he has tackled to date was 3m2f on soft in a Cheltenham hunter chase in 2024 and the way he stayed on up the hill suggested that this distance will not be an issue.
At odds of 25/1, Latenightrumble is the each way selection.
