It’s day one of the Winter Million Festival on Friday 16 January, as the action lights up Windsor racecourse. A stellar card is set to take place at the Berkshire track and we pick out our best Windsor tips for the day’s racing.
Our in-house tipster Steve Chambers previews the action and picks out three selections across the afternoon’s racing, with some of the action featuring live on ITV Racing.
Windsor Racing Tips (Friday 16 January 2026)
It’s a superb start to the Winter Million Festival at Windsor on Friday, as there’s a cracking seven-race card beginning at 12.40pm. The Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase is one of the feature races at 1.50pm, and some of the action will be live in front of the ITV Racing cameras.
1.15 Windsor – Guard The Moon (1pt win – 4/1)
Impressive when winning at Aintree two starts ago, Guard The Moon was well fancied on his last outing at Newbury, but an early jumping error saw his race ended prematurely. Pulling up before halfway that day, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained raider is back to try and make amends for that and he can duly so and land victory in the 1.15pm at Windsor. The likes of Gamesters Guy and King Of Answers both won last time out, but will need to improve again to land this prize, and Guard The Moon is one that could still be well handicapped. The seven-year-old is still lightly-raced over fences, and if that error hasn’t left a mark then he could well bounce back in this five-runner event.
1.50 Windsor – Be Aware (1pt win – 5/4)
Dan Skelton’s Be Aware may only have one win to his name over fences, but he’s already shown a high level of form over the larger obstacles and can prove too classy for his rivals in the Grade 2 Lightning Novices’ Chase at 1.50pm. A winner on his chase debut at Stratford, the grey then couldn’t live with July Flower in the Arkle Trial at Cheltenham, before he was brushed aside by current Arkle ante-post favourite Lulamba in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown. He will have nobody to face in that stratosphere here, so if he can get into a decent rhythm over his fences then he should be far too good for the likes of No Questions Asked and Hansard, who pose the biggest danger.
3.00 Windsor – Potters Charm (1pt win – 100/30)
A winner of this race 12 months ago, Kerry Lee’s Nemean Lion will be looking to strike gold once again in a fascinating 2m 4f contest at 3.00pm. Looking to secure his place in the Champion Hurdle in March with a positive run was last seen finishing third in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, so should find this easier. However, he will come up against Potters Charm, who was a creditable fourth in the Long Walk Hurdle over three miles at Ascot. Struggling in the closing stages of that contest, it’s fascinating to see the Twiston-Davies charge drop back to two-and-a-half miles, and the smooth traveller could be very dangerous. A former winner of the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle, he has shown he has some pace under bonnet and he could well just outpace Nemean Lion in the closing stages.
Windsor Racing Tips – Winter Million Festival Day 1 Best Bets – Friday 16th January
1.15 Windsor – Guard The Moon (1pt win – 4/1)
1.50 Windsor – Be Aware (1pt win – 5/4)
3.00 Windsor – Potters Charm (1pt win – 100/30)
Windsor Meeting Start Time
- Windsor – first race 12:40
FAQs: Today’s Racing Tips
What are Friday’s Winter Million Festival Day 1 Windsor tips?
Steve Chambers provides his best bets for Windsor on Friday 16 January, 2026
What is on the Windsor racecard on Friday 16 January?
Here’s the full race schedule for Windsor on Friday 16 January:
- 12:40 – Thorn Plant Hire Novices’ Hurdle
- 13:15 – Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase
- 13:50 – Fitzdares Your Personal Bookmaker Lightning Novices’ Chase
- 14:25 – Fitzdares Telephone And Text Betting Service Mares’ Handicap Chase
- 15:00 – Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle
- 15:35 – Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle
- 16:05 – MPM Flooring Handicap Chase
Who is Steve Chambers? Steve Chambers is the editor and regular tipster and writer for GG. He has over 10 years experience in the industry and has a wealth of knowledge on all things racing.
When were the Windsor tips published?
The Windsor tips for Friday 16 January were published at 1.48pm on Wednesday 14 January.
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