The Berkshire Winter Million of 2026 day 1 card takes place at Royal Windsor Racecourse with the three-day fixture flitting between there and Ascot again this year. An incentive for trainers to run some good horses in midwinter, the meeting continues to grow in stature since the switch from Lingfield Park.
Starting on Friday, 16 January, the opening card has Grade 2 action in the form of the Lightning Novices’ Chase. There is also the Sovereign Handicap Hurdle, which acts as the big betting race for the first day. A conditions hurdle over two-and-a-half miles attracts the best quality runners on show. There are also three handicap chases, either open or for novices or mares.
Everything on Berkshire Winter Million 2026 day 1 kicks off with a staying novice hurdle. The prize money offer tempts connections of some popular and familiar runners to horse racing fans for a spin around one of the county’s two “Royal” racecourses. We’ve asked our experts for their Friday fancies from the entire Windsor card, which you can see below.
Their tried and tested approach of form study, reviews of past performances and the prices available on horse racing betting sites means there’s method behind their picks. Learn all about the runners who appeal most to our experts in each of the seven Windsor races including a shortlist for the Sovereign that helps you narrow the field…
Berkshire Winter Million 2026 Day 1 Preview for Friday, 16 January
12:40 – 3m Class 2 Novice Hurdle
BY A NOSTRIL! 👃
Carlenrig PIPS them in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle 🥇#ITVRacing | @DSkeltonRacing | @harryskelton89 pic.twitter.com/EBKRf3o6n9
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 13, 2025
Dan Skelton’s Moneygarrow looks a big danger with his Warwick form franked by the runner-up coming out and scoring since, however. The trouble is his previous finishing efforts in graded races from Chepstow and Cheltenham raise question marks about his staying power, despite a stamina-laden pedigree.
Charlie Longsdon runner Swindon Village bested one who beat the same rival They Call Me Hugo defeated earlier in the campaign, so he’s not out of this either. There’s collateral form which suggests his Leicester win reads well here, then. It’s hard to fancy Rules debutant Lifetime In Milan some 615 days since his Irish Point success. The maiden Pop’s Folly doesn’t look up to this level.
1:15 – 3m 60y Class 3 Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
If he can reproduce his fine chasing debut success from Aintree, then he could well resume progress. Guard The Moon now runs in first-time cheekpieces which, if they have the desired effect, can certainly help him bounce back. Gamesters Guy beat an odds-on shot in a Doncaster match last time, but topweight for that seems a bit harsh on him.
Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore send Kelso winner King Of Answers down from Scotland. Stable form is a concern for connections with the yard seeing subsequent Ultima Handicap Chase hero Myretown fall three out in this race 12 months ago. Saint Davy never looked like winning in four starts over fences last season, so Jonjo O’Neill and sons first him with cheekpieces too for his reappearance.
1:50 – 2m 37y Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase
That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of dangers, however. Like Be Aware, No Questions Asked stays further than the two-mile trip and is one a smart-looking bunch of novice chasers for the Ben Pauling stable. He almost beat Wendigo in the John Francome when perhaps produced too soon up the Newbury home straight.
Wayward Lad runner-up Hansard has more wins racing left-handed for Gary & Josh Moore, meanwhile. The return to a clockwise track might help him. Hansard comfortably finished ahead of Alnilam off the same terms around Kempton last time out. Roadlesstravelled makes his chasing debut for the O’Neill family, but pulled-up on his last two starts over hurdles.
2:25 – 2m 4f 42y Class 2 Mares’ Handicap Chase (0-145)
That takes place later in the meeting on Sunday. Lurking on an attractive mark for this mares only event on the Berkshire Winter Million 2026 day 1 card, meanwhile, is LARGY FORCE. Murphy’s runner has only gone up 2lb in the weights for landing a Uttoxeter handicap snugly. Largy Force has to back it up, but a nice racing weight of just 10st 5lb only adds to her appeal.
Alfie’s Princess looks to have been treated harshly by the assessor for her three-length win in a six-horse field when only two finished around Wincanton. Sam Thomas’ charge has 5lb more on her back for that. Mel Rowley veteran Malaita looks exposed now with the remaining runners in the field proving very tricky for their trainers to win with.
3:00 – 2m 4f Class 2 Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle
TAKE NO CHANCES cuts through the pack, and upsets the odds! Beating out KARGESE in style, @kielanwoods delivers a stellar ride to win the @BetMGMUK Mares’ Hurdle Race.@DSkeltonRacing #Ascot pic.twitter.com/IjlpvtK3dW
— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) January 18, 2025
Dropping Potters Charm back in trip looks a wise move from the Twiston-Davies team, meanwhile, as he didn’t seem to stay three miles in the Long Walk around nearby Ascot last time. Harry Fry’s Altobelli finished behind that one in both the Ascot Hurdle and when stepped up in trip at his happy hunting ground. Nemean Lion could come for his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth, but looks vulnerable to younger legs.
Kerry Lee’s stable star will appreciate going back up in distance. While this kind of track plays to his strengths, conceding the mares allowance asks more of Nemean Lion than giving 4lb away to some rivals 12 months ago. Skelton could also have a spoiler in his second-string Royal Infantry, who makes no appeal at all, but may ensure the race is run to suit Take No Chances.
3:35 – 2m Class 2 Sovereign Handicap Hurdle
Hacked up! 😯
MOSSY FEN ROAD looks a future star as he makes it two from two over hurdles with a dominant display in our opener!@Chepstow_Racing | @Harry05Derham pic.twitter.com/JQrJ9HT1vz
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) December 27, 2025
Great Fleet has a unchanged mark for making all up at Kelso and, with the third winning since, his form has been franked. He might have the best chance of the Skelton quartet under Tristan Durrell. Jonjo O’Neill and sons try to follow-up on Ascot glory with the other topweight Wilful, but Windsor offers a very different test to its neighbouring track.
Hot Fuss is better off with him for Tom Dascombe, but has run since at Sandown and that may have compromised his chances. With Stuart Edmunds’ Bubble Dubi, there is a chance that he might bounce despite winning after a long absence. It’s a minefield this race, but the one who appeals most is SPECTACULARSUNRISE for the Twiston-Davies family.
He stayed on into second giving weight to a 137-rated rival at Chepstow last time out. Spectacularsunrise has actually dropped a couple of lbs in the weights since, but still looks feasibly handicapped off 131 if the ground dries out. Sam England’s prolific Saligo Bay bids for a four-timer, but travels a long way from Yorkshire.
Murphy veteran Go Dante seems best caught around Sandown. The Hardest Geezer and Poet Laureate could both have more to offer, meanwhile. Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerreiro’s Melon is the most interesting outsider, though, in a cracking race where most of the field have chances.
4:05 – 2m 6f 50y Class 3 Handicap Chase (0-130)
There looks to be more to come from Lucy Wadham’s Aviation after he kept on into second around Newbury when last in action. Nudged up 3lb, it was a big improvement on his chasing debut and reappearance. The market principals simply don’t look the most reliable bunch with the chief offender being Westerninthepark. He’s still somehow 9lb higher in the weights than when last successful.
Warren Greatrex runs Margaret’s Legacy, but he’s 8lb above the mark he went in off 12 months ago at Haydock. Impatient has a hike of half-a-stone for his Huntingdon success last time out. Hold Up La Colmine bolted up on reappearance here, but didn’t jump that well. Philip Hobbs & Johnson White ran him over hurdles since, presumably with the aim of protecting his chase mark for this.
While Hold Up La Colmine could be worth chancing off effectively 11lb higher if he gets it together over fences, Jeremy Scott’s Joe Cotton didn’t see out a two-and-a-half miles here on New Year’s Day. Nudged up 1lb, he will need to strip fitter for that and the extra test of stamina this provides. Nothing else has much to recommend them.
