Joe’s best horse racing betting tips for Berkshire Winter Million at Windsor Day 1 Friday

The Berkshire Winter Million is back at Windsor Racecourse on Friday and it’s shaping up to be a proper betting puzzle for punters looking to kick the weekend off with a winner.

Windsor’s sharp track, winter ground and a stack of in-form stables mean this is a meeting where the market matters and where value can appear fast if you’re on the right side of the trends.

The feature handicap chase in particular looks wide open, with several improving types arriving here on the back of strong recent runs.

Below I’ve picked out the key races, the strongest betting angles and the best bets for the Berkshire Winter Million at Windsor, with a focus on horses who look well treated and ready to strike.

Top Berkshire Winter Million Windsor Day 1 offer

Berkshire Winter Million Windsor Day 1 (Friday) tips

• 12.40 They Call Me Hugo – 1/1 with Paddy Power NAP
• 1.15 Gamesters Guy – 11/4 with bet365
• 1.50 No Questions Asked – 7/2 with bet365
• 2.25 Alfie’s Princess – 3/1 with Betfred
• 3.00 Nemean Lion – 9/4 with Betfred NEXT BEST
• 3.35 Melon – 8/1 each way with BetVictor
• 4.05 Impatient – 7/1 each way with Paddy Power

*odds provided are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.

Joe’s best horse racing betting tips for Berkshire Winter Million at Windsor on Friday 16th January

Find my top tips for today’s racing with odds from the best horse racing bookies below:

12.40 Thorn Plant Hire Novices’ Hurdle (Class 2) 3m

I’m kicking off Berkshire’s Winter Million festival with a NAP in the shape of THEY CALL ME HUGO. This 6yo impressed making a winning start over hurdles at Ffos Las and then missed just a short head at Cheltenham last month.

That was a huge run in defeat just being edged out by a progressive horse of the Skelton’s and with more to come I’m expecting him to get back to winning ways here.

Moneygarrow looks the danger off the back of that Warwick win but he needs to prove himself over 3 miles and also carries a penalty so this won’t be easy. Swindon Village impressed in tough conditions at Leicester and is also respected.

 Bet on THEY CALL ME HUGO to win at 1/1 with Paddy Power 

1.15 Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Class 3) 3m1/2f

I rate Moon Rocket so for GAMESTERS GUY to beat that rival at Doncaster last month was quite a promising performance. That was his first start over 3 miles over fences so there should be plenty more improvement to come yet.

He is a likeable sort and if his jumping holds up again then I expect him to follow up against these as he has an unexposed profile and clearly has plenty going for him again.

King Of Answers also arrives in winning form after scoring at Kelso last month. This is tougher but he is going the right way and could make a race of it with the selection.

Guard The Moon impressed at Aintree but then pulled up at Newbury so if bouncing back could have a squeak as well.

 Bet on GAMESTERS GUY to win at 11/4 with bet365

1.50 Fitzdares Your Personal Bookmaker Lightning Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) 2m

• 11 of the last 12 winners were aged 6 or 7
• 7 of the last 12 winners were favourites or joint favourites
• 6 of the last 12 winners won on their last run before
• 10 of the last 12 winners were rated 145 or higher

I wouldn’t want to take a short price about Be Aware. He looked good scoring on chase debut at Stratford but has been beaten twice since and was well held albeit by Lulamba at Sandown.

I think he needs more to win this and NO QUESTIONS ASKED could be decent value. The drop back to 2 miles looks ideal given how strongly he travels and if he gets into a nice rhythm he could be the one to beat.

Hansard was in front of Alnilam when chasing home the progressive Mambonumberfive at Kempton and could be the danger off the back of that run especially if Be Aware goes a good gallop early.

 Bet on NO QUESTIONS ASKED to win at 7/2 with bet365 

2.25 Fitzdares Telephone And Text Betting Service Mares’ Handicap Chase (Class 2) 2m4f

Given the time off the track I thought that was an impressive performance from ALFIE’S PRINCESS to win so easily at Wincanton last month. She travelled like a smart mare and looked the winner every step of the way.

She is still open to further improvement and looks to have a great chance of following up.

Hollygrove Cha Cha was too good for Bluey at Exeter and will look to uphold that form here. If she does she may well be the biggest threat to the selection.

Largy Force showed a good attitude to win at Uttoxeter and is another one who should be getting competitive.

 Bet on ALFIE’S PRINCESS to win at 3/1 with Betfred 

3.00 Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle (Class 2) 2m4f

The tough and likeable NEMEAN LION won this race last year in gutsy fashion and I can see him repeating the feat here.

He ran a massive race in defeat beaten less than 2 lengths in the Fighting Fifth on return and with a run under his belt now he should be able to see this field off.

Potters Charm looks interesting back down in trip and could be the danger but he does need to get back to his best to upset the selection.

Take No Chances ran well to finish third at Newbury behind Impose Toi and Strong Leader and is another one that shouldn’t be underestimated in a competitive renewal.

Bet on NEMEAN LION to win at 9/4 with Betfred 

3.35 Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) 2m

This is one of the best betting races of the Jumps season so far with it 7/1 bar the field at the time of writing. I am taking a chance on MELON at a huge price around 14/1 in the betting.

He was a bit too keen on return at Cheltenham but ran well to finish third beaten under 2 lengths by Fortune De Mer. I expect him to improve from that and with a 5lb claimer booked I can’t help but feel he is overpriced.

The Hardest Geezer is attracting support and could run well. He has been knocking on the door this season and again was only beaten narrowly at Ascot last month and the form seems to be working out.

Great Fleet did it well at Kelso and almost certainly has more to come but is likely to go off favourite so not much juice in his price.

 Bet on MELON each way at 8/1 with BetVictor 

4.05 MPM Flooring Handicap Chase (Class 3) 2m6f

It was good to see IMPATIENT bounce back to his best at Huntingdon last month. He ran on strongly to win impressively by nearly 5 lengths and if in the same form here will be a major player.

He probably wouldn’t want it too soft so as long as we don’t get too much rain I think he’ll have a massive chance in this and at a nice price too.

Margaret’s Legacy was disappointing at Aintree but is better than that and if putting a line through that would have obvious form claims. Aviation was beaten less than a length at Newbury latest and is another one who could get involved.

 Bet on IMPATIENT each way at 7/1 with Paddy Power 

My top tip for Berkshire Winter Million racing at Windsor

I’ve got a strong double for Windsor on Friday! THEY CALL ME HUGO ran huge at Cheltenham last time out and a similar effort here would likely see him back in the winners enclosure.

Couple that with NEMEAN LION to defend his crown in the feature for Kerry Lee.

Bet a Win Double on THEY CALL ME HUGO and NEMEAN LION at 9/2 with bet365

About the author

Joe Norris

I’m Joe Norris, co-founder and Director of GetYourTipsOut (GYTO), which I launched in 2009 to provide daily sports betting tips, with the main focus on horse racing. Over the years, I’ve earned a reputation for offering reliable and profitable tips, which led to being named “Best Sports Betting Tipster” in 2023. Alongside my work at GYTO, I also contribute predictions to platforms like Oddschecker, allowing me to share my insights with a wide community of sports enthusiasts and bettors.

Find Joe on X: @JoeNorrisGYTO

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