Protektorat Aims for Consecutive Wins in the Fleur De Lys Chase

Sunday's racing schedule is packed, with jump action from Windsor broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. The Fleur De Lys Chase features a high-quality field of six, with Protektorat, the defending champion trained by the Skelton team, being a strong contender. After delivering an impressive performance last season, winning by 23 lengths, he is expected to be a force to be reckoned with if he can repeat that feat under Harry Skelton's guidance. Now eleven years old, Protektorat faces stiff competition but remains a top contender. Handstands, trained by Ben Pauling, poses a significant threat despite being poorly weighted, based on his past performances, including a Grade One win at Sandown. However, he needs to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Betfair Chase. Matata, after returning to form with a win at Cheltenham, is taking on a higher grade and longer distance, making this an intriguing challenge. The rearranged Grade Two Hampton Novices' Chase at Windsor boasts an excellent lineup, with Salver and Moon Rocket standing out. Salver, trained by Gary and Josh Moore, showed impressive jumping skills in Grade Two company at Sandown but failed to follow up that performance in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase. With more favorable ground conditions and the addition of cheekpieces, he is expected to perform better. Moon Rocket made a successful fencing debut at Doncaster before being beaten by Gamesters Guy and may have more to offer with a true test of stamina. Wade Out needs another run to qualify for the National Hunt Chase at the Festival, while Doyen Quest and Jeriko Du Reponet also deserve consideration in a complex race. The Weatherbys Racing Bank Handicap Hurdle features a field of 16, including Lud'Or and Nab Wood. Tom Symonds' Lud'or excels in softer ground conditions, as seen in his win at Bangor and creditable third place at Newbury. With another three-pound increase, he remains open to further improvement under Caoilin Quinn. Nab Wood has shown steady progress for Nicky Richards and, having won at Catterick, must be included in the shortlist. Keable and Kapy Boy are notable at higher odds. Other races of interest include the 1.50 Windsor, where Mirabad has strong claims for Dan Skelton, the 3.35 Windsor, an open race featuring Jupiter Des Bordes among 17 runners, and the 4.05 Windsor, with the exciting Bass Hunter headlining a valuable bumper field. At Sha Tin, Zac Purton, Maxime Guyon, Harry Bentley, and Andrea Atzeni are all in action.