Windsor best bet: War Chant up to the challenge in wide-open handicap

19:50 Windsor: Fegime Day Handicap  (1 mile 31 yards)

The morning withdrawal of early market leader Red Hat Eagle has left Rogue Encore as the uneasy favourite, with last-time-out winner Great Chieftain likely to be his main threat.

The very presence of Oisin Murphy in the saddle has probably shaved a few points off the price of Lunatick, but despite the credentials of the three market leaders, our eye has been drawn towards the Rae Guest-trained four-year-old War Chant.

This capable gelding won at the fourth attempt back in the autumn of 2022, and backed that up with an impressive hat-trick of one-mile successes at Nottingham, Wetherby and Bath in the space of three and a half June weeks last year.

Suggested best bet: War Chant each-way in the 19:50 at Windsor

A close-up third on season debut at Beverley in May proved to be the launchpad for an even more impressive showing at Nottingham a couple of weeks later, when he held off eight rivals to win by the length of his head.

The notable third-placed favourite that day was Ian Williams’ Beylerbeyi, who franked that race’s form by going on to win his next three outings, including a couple of decent handicaps at Doncaster. 

War Chant has only had one more airing since then, putting in another decent shift under five-pound claimer Tommie Jakes to finish close-up third of seven at Doncaster 16 days ago.

His winning Nottingham rider, Callum Shepherd, has notably been rebooked here, and he’ll be looking to continue the purple patch that saw him steer three of his rides into Ascot’s winner’s circle on Saturday.