Windsor Races Today – Get Windsor Tips from Royal Racecourse
Located on the banks of the River Thames, and with its royal connections, a trip to Windsor races today is a little bit more special than the average sporting venue.
We’re going to explore the history of the course, the configuration of the track, and then look at some of the biggest races and events for which we give Windsor tips throughout the year.
History of Royal Windsor Racecourse
The history of racing at Windsor is inextricably linked to the Great Park and presence of Windsor Castle. As a royal palace, this iconic landmark has had livery stables and a stud going back to at least Tudor times.
During the Restoration period, horse racing was held at Datchet Ferry on the other side of the Castle. Races on the current site, to the west of the Castle at Rays Meadow, began during the Victorian era in June 1866.
In 1926, a betting tax set by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill, upset Windsor bookmakers to the extent that they refused to trade. The crowd in attendance watched the racing in silence and the tax was soon scrapped.
As one of only three tracks in the south of England allowed to stage racing during the Second World War, Windsor Racecourse saw a German V1 flying bomber landing near the racecourse in 1944, in the midst of a meeting.
Although primarily a Flat racing venue, the track also hosted jumps until December 1998 when regular National Hunt action ceased and Arena took over management of the course. Yet when Ascot Racecourse closed for renovation during the mid-2000s, the jumps meetings of the nearby track made a temporary switch to Windsor.
During the winter of 2024-25, the track reopened for jumps racing on a permanent basis. The Berkshire Winter Million fixture took place in January 2025, following a test fixture held before Christmas.
Is Windsor Races Today Flat or Jumps?
With National Hunt meetings back at the track, it now hosts both codes of racing again. This means that there are Windsor horse racing tips available throughout the year.
The Flat racing action begins in April and continues through to September, on a figure-of-eight track. It is one of only two such course configurations in the UK, with the other at Fontwell Park.
There is a spur bisecting the Flat course for 5f and 6f sprints. Extended mile races involve racing around the bottom loop of the figure-of-eight. Middle-distance events over 1m 2f and an extended 1m 3f, start parallel with the home straight, with the latter adjacent to the winning post.
It’s a sharp track with horses needing to deal with tight turns on their way round. This is a consideration for us when we give our tips for Windsor today.
A complete circuit is a mile and a half round for both the Flat and jumps courses. National Hunt meetings race left-handed, in a tight but relatively level oval with sharp bends out of the home straight and going into the back.
For hurdle races, there are six flights to cross on a full lap with four down the back straight and two more after turning for home. In steeplechases, there should be nine fences on a complete circuit.
Five of these are in the back straight with the second and fourth both open ditches. There is also a water jump after those obstacles, but before three plain fences in the home straight.
Whether it’s the Flat or the jumps, you can be sure that our tips for Windsor races today fully considers the demands of the track and conditions.
Key Windsor Races Fixtures
There are 26 race days on the schedule for 2025 and you will be able to find Windsor horse tips for all them at Racing Tipster. It’s Flat racing fans that are the best served, with only three of those days being devoted to the jumps.
The amount of National Hunt meetings could well increase in years to come, with the jumps having only just returned to the races at Windsor today.
At the moment there’s one in November and the main event, which is two of the three days of the Berkshire Winter Million in January. This jumps event sees the action taking place at Windsor on the Friday and Sunday, with the Saturday racing taking place at Ascot.
Flat events are held between April and September. The highlight is the August Bank Holiday fixture, which is the last Saturday when racing takes place and is labelled as the Summer Closing Party.
A Monday race evening is a regular occurrence at Windsor, with 13 scheduled in 2025. Many meetings have themes, meanwhile.
There’s a Family Fun Day, Ladies Day, Gents Night and a number of events featuring live music. We’ll be covering every race in these meetings with our Windsor racing tips.
The Biggest Races We Give Windsor Tips On
When it comes to horse racing tips Windsor provides us with a strong schedule of top class racing for inspiration. Let’s take a look through the key races at its major horse racing fixtures that gives you an insight into the best events that take place at this course.
Fleur De Lys Chase
Moved from Lingfield for 2025, this is the feature race on the Sunday of the Berkshire Winter Million fixture in January. The Fleur de Lys is part of the Royal Arms of France, a kingdom that many monarchs of England laid claim to.
A Class 2 conditions steeplechase over 2m 6f, the first winner of this race at Windsor was Protektorat, taking home the £86,300 first prize. The second-favourite was a common pick among experts giving Windsor race tips, having finished runner-up in this race in 2024.
Sovereign Handicap Hurdle
This is another race that moved from Lingfield for 2025. It’s the big 2m handicap hurdle of the Berkshire Winter Million fixture in January, taking place on the Friday.
Secret Squirrel won the inaugural edition at Windsor, claiming the £57,200 first prize. He later suffered a career-threatening fall on his next start around Newbury in Berkshire.
Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Hurdle
Yet another race that made the switch from Lingfield for 2025. This is a 2m 4f Class 2 conditions hurdle race on the Friday of the big meeting in January.
Nemean Lion beat Salver in the first running at Windsor where first prize was £52,000. This wasn’t a big surprise for those following Windsor races tips, with Nemean Lion starting a narrow favourite.
Lightning Novices’ Chase
This race also moved from Lingfield, and has been previously held at both Doncaster and Ascot.
A 2m Grade 2 novice chase, the 2025 winner Gidleigh Park banked the £42,700 first prize on the Sunday of the Berkshire Winter Million fixture.
Winter Hill Stakes
The biggest race that is held on the Flat at Windsor races today. It’s been a Group 3 Flat race since 1995 and runs over 1m 2f for three-year-olds and up. This is the only event at Windsor with such status.
Taking place on the August Bank Holiday fixture, first prize in 2024 was almost £39,700, with My Prospero triumphing for William Haggas’ powerful Newmarket stable.
Windsor Sprint Series Final
The final of a series of sprint handicaps held at the course. This race features on another of the Monday evening racing fixtures in August.
This Class 2 6f event came with first prize of £38,650 in 2024, which Elmonjed claimed.
Weatherbys Handicap Hurdle
This is another race on the Winter Million bill, also switching from Lingfield. A staying Class 2 handicap hurdle that runs over 3m, it came with a first prize of £33,800 in 2025, won by Titan Discovery.
August Stakes
Achieving Listed status in 2004, this extended 1m 3f race for horses aged three and up is the chief supporting race on the August Bank Holiday meeting First prize in 2024 was nearly £31,200 and won by Sea of Roses.
Great Park Handicap Chase
Formerly the Godstone Handicap Chase when at Lingfield, it transferred to Windsor and picked up its current name for 2025.
Renamed after Windsor Great Park that staged horse racing in the early Tudor period, this is a Class 2 handicap chase run over 2m on the Sunday of the Winter Million.
Matata won the inaugural edition at Windsor and the £26,000 first prize.
FAQs
Is Windsor races on today?
Check in at the today’s racecards section to see if there is racing on at Windsor. If there are Windsor races today results, tips, form and much more will be available right here at Racing Tipster.
Where is Windsor Racecourse?
If travelling to this West Berkshire racecourse by road, enter Maidenhead Rd, Windsor SL4 5EZ in your SatNav. There are buses from Windsor town centre, taxis available from the two train stations and you can even travel by boat on the river taxi.
Are Windsor races today just on Monday nights?
Of the 26 meetings at Windsor Racecourse in 2025, some 13 take place on Monday nights. So, while Monday evening racing is a common occurrence, there’s plenty of other opportunities to watch the impressive racing at this track. Our Windsor racing tips today will cover all of them.
What is the Berkshire Winter Million?
It is a three-day racing event in January. The Friday and the Sunday are held at Windsor, with the Saturday meet taking place at Ascot. This new event features top jump racing action and as the name suggests, has over £1,000,000 in prize money available.
Why give free Windsor tips today?
We want as many punters as possible to benefit from our AI-generated horse racing tips. That means not charging for them, as even a small fee will put off some people. When it comes to Windsor races today tips are free at Racing Tipster and will remain so.
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