King Rules At Windsor Baltic King could bid for Group One glory in the Darley July Cup after accounting for some decent sprinters in a course record time at Windsor on Monday evening. The Hughie Morrison-trained five-year-old looked better than ever as he stayed on strongly under Jimmy Fortune to take the Listed Wolseley Plc Leisure Stakes from Patavellian. Early pacesetter Celtic Mill held off the late lunge of Quito for third place. But favourite Ashdown Express found plenty of trouble in attempting to come from behind and failed to pick up in the final furlong, finishing a disappointing sixth. Fortune dismounted and told Morrison and the massed ranks of the Thurloe Thoroughbreds syndicate that Baltic King probably needs six furlongs these days as it allows him to find his feet in the early stages. That probably wasn´t exactly what Morrison wanted to hear, given that his charge is entered in next week´s Temple Stakes at Sandown and the five-furlong King´s Stand Stakes at the Royal meeting, rather than the Golden Jubilee Stakesover six. 'I think we´ll probably still have a look at the Temple as it is a stiff finish at Sandown and he has shown us before that he appreciates an uphill run to the line,' said the trainer. 'Jimmy thinks that he has strengthened up again this season and I agree with him. I thought it was a hell of a performance in a handicap last time at Newmarket and he has beaten some good horses here tonight.' ? PA Sport
