Skelton stars as Protektorat defends Fleur de Lys crown at Windsor

Protektorat pics by Sue Orpwood

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Protektorat won Windsor's Fitzdares Fleur de Lys Chase for the second successive year on Sunday to take his career earnings past the £1million mark after 34 races.

But Harry Skelton admitted it wasn't the easiest of rides.

"He's the hardest ride as a jockey I will probably ever have and he's just hard to handle. He loves running left-handed and he runs with his head on one side. but he has the constitution and will to win."

"He's incredible, so tough, and when I jumped three out, I knew he would win as he had been in battles before."

The 11-year-old, who had romped home by 23 lengths in last year's race, came under pressure from Ben Pauling's Handstands on the approach to the penultimate fence, but powered clear on the run-in to beat the Olly Murphy-trained Resplendent Grey by three and three-quarter lengths.

Whilst trainer Dan Skelton is away on holiday in the Caribbean, Harry completed a treble on the final day of the three-meeting Berkshire Winter Million.

Getawhisky (13/8 favourite) landed the opening TDJ Williams Waste Limited Mares' Novices' Hurdle and, later, the Dave Marley RIP You Legend Open National Hunt Flat Race with 12/1 chance St James's Finest, who was making only his second racecourse appearance.

Team Skelton had also won the opening race at Windsor on Friday with Moneygarrow (5/2), while the most valuable race of the day, the Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle, went to 10/1 chance Hot Fuss, with David Bass riding for Tom Dascombe.

The Berkshire Winter Million switched to Ascot on Saturday and saw Jonbon win the BetMGM Clarence House Chase for the second successive year.

Trained by Nicky Henderson, the 10-year-old was maintaining his remarkable record of never finishing out of the first two in any race, with 19 wins and seven second places.

The 6/1 chance was ridden for only the second time by James Bowen, a late replacement for regular pilot Harry Cobden, who had been injured when his mount, Neon Moon, fell in an earlier race.

Jonbon, owned by John P McManus, finished three lengths clear of Thistle Ask, who was the only other finisher in the

extended two-mile contest after odds-on favourite Il Etait Temps had fallen and Gidleigh Park pulled up.

He could be back at the Berkshire course in the Ascot Chase on February 14.