The Berkshire Winter Million draws to a close at Windsor on Sunday afternoon. Introduced in 2025, this £1 million meeting saw Windsor return to the National Hunt fold for the first time since 1998. An immediate hit with trainers and fans, the fixture helps bolster the post-Christmas/pre-Cheltenham Festival period.
The Grade 2 Hampton Novices’ Chase is officially the classiest contest on Sunday’s eight-race card. However, when judged by the ratings of the competitors, the £165,000 Fleur De Lys Chase takes top billing.
First run at Lingfield’s Winter Million fixture in 2022, this 2m6f event transferred to Windsor ahead of the inaugural Berkshire Winter Million. In 2025, the race witnessed a staggering display from a horse no stranger to Grade 1 success. This year, that horse is back to defend his crown.
Protektorat to Enter the £1 Million Club?
Now 11 years old, Protektorat has served Dan Skelton with distinction since joining the yard in 2018. A veteran of five Cheltenham Festivals, including two Gold Cups, his finest hour came when storming to a four-length victory in the 2024 edition of the Ryanair Chase.
He has won only once since his Prestbury Park heroics. However, that sole success came when turning the 2025 Fleur De Lys Chase into a one-horse race. Taking the bull by the horns, a front-running Protektorat was in a different league to his rivals that day, crossing the line fully 23 lengths clear of his nearest rival.
Sitting on a mark of 165, Protektorat is five pounds below his peak, but is still comfortably the highest-rated runner in this field. In addition, the conditions of this contest strongly favour the Skelton runner. The weights are set at 11st2lb, but any horse that has won a Premier Handicap, Listed or Graded event since September 2024 must carry a penalty.
Having not won a race in any of those categories since March 2024, Protekorat races off a penalty-free 11st2lb. Five pounds and more ahead of the field on ratings and receiving weight from his main market rivals, he’s the one they all have to beat. Having amassed £921,209 in prize money, the £85,849.50 first-place prize would take this admirable performer past £1 million in career earnings.
Handstands in the Winners’ Enclosure?
If there is a horse to upset Protektorat, the market suggests it is most likely to be the Ben Pauling-trained Handstands. Long held in high regard by his trainer, Handstands enjoyed an excellent novice campaign. Winning three of five starts, his best effort saw him master King George fourth, and leading Gold Cup fancy, Jango Baie in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices Chase.
His season ended on a down note when hampered by a faller in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase, but that did little to dent his lofty reputation. In two starts in 2025/26, Handstands has yet to deliver on that novice promise. Second first time out in the Listed Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase, he then finished last of the four finishers in the Betfair Chase.
A recent wind operation will need to spark a significant revival if Handstands is to have a chance under these conditions. At seven years of age, the son of Getaway has youth on his side, but is 11 pounds behind Protektorat on ratings and must concede eight pounds to the market leader.
Matata has No Worries at Windsor
Protektorat aside, the Nigel and Willie Twiston-Davies representative, Matata, is the only runner in the field with a course win to his name. Sporting the double green of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the Vadamos gelding ran out an impressive 10-length winner of the two-mile handicap chase on this card in 2025. A year on, the eight-year-old moves up in trip and class for this assignment.
Race 4 Result: @Fitzdares Great Park Handicap Chase
🏆 Matata
Jockey: J J Slevin
Trainer: @NigelTwistonDav
Owner: Simon Munir & Isaac Souede pic.twitter.com/BOB7mDyUVv— Windsor Racecourse (@WindsorRaces) January 19, 2025
Unlike Handstands, Matata has yet to win a Grade 1 event, having come up short in four previous outings at the highest level. However, he arrives right at the top of his game, following a handicap success at Cheltenham by almost 10 lengths on New Year’s Day. A new rating of 160 makes him the second-best horse in the field according to the official handicapper. While he must concede four pounds to Protektorat, he receives four pounds from Handstands. This represents a quick turnaround from Cheltenham, but connections may roll the dice given the significant prize money on offer and generally favourable conditions.
Others to note in an intriguing contest include impressive Esher Novices’ Chase winner Salver and Olly Murphy’s Resplendent Grey, who disappointed in the Coral Gold Cup, but had previously beaten Handstands in the Colin Parker Memorial Intermediate Chase.
