Raaheeb steps into the Weatherbys Global Stallions App Winter Hill Stakes at Windsor this afternoon, a Group 3 contest, off the back of two wins in his last three starts and a rating that marks him out as the one to beat. Rossa Ryan takes the ride for Owen Burrows. At 5/6, he is today's NAP.
The Form
A recent line of 1---1-4 shows a colt who has been winning when he's had his chances — two victories from his last three starts, with a fourth the only blip in that run. He's already proven he handles today's course, trip and going, removing several variables from the equation, and a rating of 112 to 122 depending on the figure used puts him firmly among the leading lights in this field.
Race and Conditions
Today's contest is a Class 1 Group 3 event over 1 mile 2 furlongs on good ground at Windsor, worth £53,874 to the winner — a significant step up in both prestige and prize money, and exactly the level of race a horse of Raaheeb's calibre should be aiming for on the back of recent form like this.
The Honest Assessment
The one genuine question mark is the layoff. Raaheeb has been off the track for 71 days, a considerable gap that raises a fair concern about sharpness first time back at this level, regardless of how strong the form was beforehand. He also carries a competitive 131lb from stall three, a fair enough weight for a horse rated where he sits, but worth noting alongside the absence. Set against that, this isn't a lightly-raced type finding his feet — this is a proven performer with a clear rating edge, and yards don't typically target a Group 3 return for a horse they don't believe is ready.
The Connections
Owen Burrows trains from Lambourn in Berkshire, and the yard's form is solid — 17% winners from 12 runners over the last fortnight. Rossa Ryan takes the ride, an accomplished jockey well suited to steering a talented, rating-topping type through a big-field comeback run.
The Bottom Line
Two wins from his last three starts, a rating that marks him as the one to beat, and proven course, distance and going form all build a strong case for Raaheeb. The 71-day absence is the genuine question worth respecting rather than dismissing, but a horse of this calibre returning for a race at exactly the right level suggests real confidence from the yard. At 5/6, Raaheeb is today's NAP.
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