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.