Caldwell Potter heads a field of four for the Grade 2 Fitzdares Lightning Novices’ Chase on the opening day of the inaugural Berkshire Winter Million at Royal Windsor Racecourse on Friday. A Grade 1 winner over hurdles in Ireland last season, Caldwell Potter, will be looking to bounce back from a below par effort at Cheltenham in December, with trainer Paul Nicholls deciding to return to two miles having stepped up to two and a half miles last time out.

The Harry Fry trained Gidleigh Park was also a high-class novice hurdler last season, winning a Grade 2 at Cheltenham at the beginning of the year, before being sent off 9/2 second favourite in the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle at the Festival in March. Connections will be hoping for an improved performance over fences this time around having been pulled up on his first start over the larger obstacles at Kempton in November.

Personal Ambition looked to have every chance in Grade 2 Noel Novices’ Chase at Ascot last time before making a terrible error at the last fence. Trainer Ben Pauling is hoping to find some further improvement form the six-year-old who drops back in trip to two miles on Friday.

Ben Pauling said, “Personal Ambition is in good form, he was very unlucky not to win the other day at Ascot. He jumped brilliantly then rooted the last and he came off second best that day.

“It is another drop back in trip which I am doing because on this ground two miles is more suitable. He’s a lovely horse with plenty of ability. This looks a competitive race and we will give it our best shot. He just needs to brush up on his jumping. Bar the last he was pretty foot perfect at Ascot.”

Completing the field of four is Cheltenham Festival-winning mare, You Wear it Well, for Jamie Snowden, who has been placed in two Listed chases on her two starts so far this season.

56 horses have been declared on the seven-race card where there is £400,000 in prize money up for grabs.

On target

Dual Cheltenham Festival winner Langer Dan will line up in the £100,000 Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle. Trainer Dan Skelton will be using this as a stepping stone for the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Dan Skelton said, “I just feel he is coming together, and it is slowly happening. I think he will run better than he has on his first two starts of the year but we’re still a long way off winning. He’s a very hard horse to train in the Winter for whatever reason.

“He turns up at Cheltenham every year and runs really well. We want to aim for the Stayers’ Hurdle this year.”

Amongst Langer Dan’s opposition on Friday will be last year’s Betfair Hurdle winner Iberico Lord, who returns to hurdling having jumped fences on his first two starts this season. Grade 2 winning hurdler Nemean Lion got back to winning ways at Hereford last time and trainer Kerry Lee will be hoping he can continue that form. Paul Nicholls runs Grade 2 winning hurdler Blueking d'Oroux and Salver lines up for Gary and Josh Moore.

14 runners have been declared for the £110,000 Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle, the most valuable race of the day. Dan Skelton runs Knickerbockerglory, who was mighty impressive on his last start at Sandown, winning by eight lengths.

Dan Skelton said: “Knickerbocker Glory has been a great horse for us. He loves soft conditions and the Sovereign Handicap Hurdle is a valuable race. Whether the handicapper has him now, I don’t know, but it was a good race he won at Sandown. He made all the running in atrocious ground, so the handicapper has bumped him up and you have to take your medicine.

“He has had a good break between his races which he needs. It is the obvious race to go for and I hope he’s a player. The worse the ground the better for him.”

Favourite

Kabral Du Mathan is the current 9/2 favourite with sponsors Fitzdares, for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. The French recruit won on his seasonal re-appearance at Kempton before going down by a short head in a premier handicap at Ascot in December.

Also prominent in the betting is the Tom Symonds trained, Navajo Indy, who made it two from two so far this season when winning the Gerry Feilden at Newbury in November. The lightly raced Beat The Bat, is also towards the top of the market, having finished second on his first start of the season at Haydock in November for trainer Harry Fry.

Bobby Burns, Director of racing at Fitzdares, said: “"We are absolutely delighted with the strong entries for this weekend's Winter Million. Fitzdares has always been a passionate supporter of Royal Windsor, and the Berkshire Winter Millions showcases the very best in this sport. We are proud to be involved in what promises to be a memorable weekend of racing across both Royal Windsor and Ascot."

The action will kick off at 12:40pm with the Fitzdares Berkshire Winter Million Novices’ Hurdle set to be run over 3m. Racing will conclude at 4:10pm with the Berkshire Winter Million Supports Injured Jockeys Fund Handicap Chase over 2m6f. The going is currently described as Soft.