Fitzdares Fleur De Lys Chase
Windsor 15:00
£165,000 guaranteed,
5yo plus,
2m 6f 10y, Class 2   
Sunday 18th January 2026

Sunday’s Winter Million weekend at Windsor reaches its crescendo, and at the head of nine entries stands a familiar and formidable figure. Protektorat, the defending champion, returns to a race he made his own twelve months ago, and his trainer Dan Skelton is in no doubt about where the bar has been set.

Last year the race’s relocation from Lingfield to Windsor did nothing to disrupt Protektorat’s dominance, as he powered clear of Djelo by 23 lengths in a display of authority. Now an 11-year-old, the stable stalwart is being readied with precision for another tilt at the crown.

“He’ll turn up for the Fleur de Lys and in a weird quirk of the system he doesn’t get a penalty.

“The likes of Handstands and others who turn up might have to give him a penalty. It’s a weird scenario to be in.

“He’s in great form. We trained him specifically for the race and we couldn’t be happier with him.

“I know he’s not getting any younger, but his enthusiasm for the game is just phenomenal. He’s been brilliant for us and whoever wins will (have to) beat him, I’ll tell you that now. He’ll be hard to beat.”

There will be no shortage of seasoned rivals. Eldorado Allen and Jungle Boogie, both 12, bring veteran resilience for Joe Tizzard and Venetia Williams, while Paul Nicholls relies on the 10-year-old Hitman to represent the older guard.

But youth will have its say too. Handstands, the Grade One-winning seven-year-old trained by Ben Pauling, seeks redemption after a disappointing return at Carlisle and a Betfair Chase effort that left more questions than answers. He was beaten at Carlisle by Resplendent Grey, who could confirm that form for Olly Murphy.

Salver adds intrigue for Gary and Josh Moore, lightly raced over fences and already tested against leading Cheltenham hopes in Lulamba and Kitzbuhel. Matata, a New Year’s Day Cheltenham winner for Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies, brings recent winning momentum, while Heltenham completes the field as Skelton’s likely outsider.

A champion defending his throne, veterans refusing to yield, and younger legs striving to seize the moment — the Fleur de Lys Chase promises a compelling chapter in Windsor’s Winter Million story.

Fleur De Lys Chase
£165,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m 6f 10y, Class 2
9 entries
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 705-13 Eldorado Allen 12 - Joe Tizzard Brendan Powell
2 11P-24 Handstands 7 - Ben Pauling
3 P8332F Heltenham 9 - Dan Skelton
4 2P7-13 Hitman 10 - Paul Nicholls
5 6/1P-7 Jungle Boogie 12 - Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch
6 3-7331 Matata 8 - Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies
7 2142-3 Protektorat 11 - Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
8 441-10 Resplendent Grey 8 - Olly Murphy
9 32-314 Salver 6 - Gary & Josh Moore

horse racing