Side Glance (black): recorded second Listed win in a row at Windsor

  PICTURE: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)  

Report: Windsor, Monday

Sportingbet.com Stakes (Registered As The Royal Windsor Stakes) (Listed) 1m½f, 3yo+

SIDE GLANCE justified being sent off the odds-on favourite after working hard for Jimmy Fortune to see off The Cheka for a second straight victory.

Trained by Andrew Balding, the four-year-old was a Listed winner at Ascot last time, and continued his progression with a hard fought length and a quarter success at Windsor.

Fortune was settled towards the rear of the seven-strong field, with The Rectifier and Dunelight the pair that cut out the early running.

Off a steady gallop all the field bar Spirit Of Sharjah and the weakening Dunelight were in contention with two furlongs left. The five challengers were spread across the track with Side Glance widest of all.

The Cheka had worn down The Rectifier to grab a narrow lead, with Penitent unable to quicken, but Fortune had hit top gear on his mount and the began to assert in the final furlong to give the horse a fifth win from 12 career starts.

Balding said: “It wouldn’t be the ideal trip for him –  or the way the race was run. But he gave 4lb to a useful horse [The Cheka] so it has to be a good performance.

“We’ll have to have a sit back and think about where to go next as this was bit of an afterthought.”

The trainer did add that there are options further afield in Germany and Canada.

Fortune was pleased with his mount’s effort. He said: “The track nearly got him beat, but he’s a nice horse and he’s going the right way. I could see him winning a Group 3.”