February 08 / 15.00 Newbury

15.00

Soft

William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £48407.5
  • 2m 0f 92y
  • Class 1
  • 5 runners
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William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Game Spirit Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Rain and snow

8/1 (Won)

  • Win: £12.00
  • Place: £3.20

Form: F2-4F3 D BF

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 5lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 153

Form & Verdict
Second-season chaser who was a faller in the Tingle Creek and finished about 8l behind Libberty Hunter at Cheltenham last time; not weighted to reverse the placings and form has rather levelled off this term; opposed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

8

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Master Chewy

11st 10lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Finished a creditable close second of three finishers in a Grade 2 at Kempton (about 2m4f, good) in January but he's an infrequent winner and it's two years since he ran well in a Grade 1 (not far away when falling two out in the Arkle here, then touched off at Aintree); well adrift in this race last year and there's no reason to expect much better today.

100/1

5th

1

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 92y

Class 1

14:45 Newbury

Master Chewy

11st 8lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Landed this prize last year but incurs a bigger penalty this time, making him worse off with runner-up Libberty Hunter, and concedes weight to some other notable rivals that include a very promising 5yo; outgunned by 12yo Edwardstone at Kempton most recently; chance of doing the Game Spirit double partly depends on how well he responds to first-time headgear.

11/1

2

26th Oct 2025

Good

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

14:55 Aintree

Master Chewy

11st 6lb

J: Sam Twiston-Davies

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Unproven at this trip but kept on well to win Grade 2 Game Spirit at Newbury (2m, soft) in February and his two subsequent defeats came in Grade 1s; likes it here, with course form figures of 122, and he's fine on good ground; from in-form yard and can play leading role if seeing out the trip.

4/1

3/1

  • Place: £2.00

Form: 1123-1 D

Last run: 56 days

W: 11st 2lb

9 yo Gelding

OR: 151

Form & Verdict
Registered a comfortable handicap success at Cheltenham (2m, good to soft) in sole run this season; beat Matata, albeit on better terms, at that same venue last season; has something to find on ratings but is improving and could go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

7

11th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Libberty Hunter

11st 10lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Evan Williams

In touch and still going okay when falling three out in this race last year but it's difficult to ascertain where he'd have finished with a clear round; overall record at Cheltenham is 121FU, both wins in handicaps on the New course; ran creditably, one place behind Saint Segal, in the Game Spirit most recently; at the age of ten he's unlikely to find the major improvement that's needed on ratings.

66/1

3rd

5

7th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 0f 92y

Class 1

14:45 Newbury

Libberty Hunter

11st 2lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Evan Williams

Acts on heavy ground; continued his progress with a good second to Master Chewy in this contest 12 months ago and he meets the winner on better terms in this rematch; subsequent form comprises two non-completions at Cheltenham and a remote fourth, albeit facing stiff assignment, in the Tingle Creek; return to this scenario puts him in calculations.

7/1

5

12th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

1m 7f 199y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Libberty Hunter

11st 10lb

J: Adam Wedge

T: Evan Williams

Has form figures of 112312 in completed chase starts and 121 (three handicaps) at Cheltenham; good second in the Grand Annual on this card 12 months ago and filled the same position in the Game Spirit at Newbury most recently; progressive but has the lowest rating of the field.

33/1

Form: 0-2121 C

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 2lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 163

Form & Verdict
Solid and progressive in handicaps this term, producing form figures of 2121; impressively defied top weight at Windsor (2m, soft) most recently, recording a bare figure that makes him one of the main contenders on these terms; highly respected.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1

18th Apr 2026

Soft

2m 0f 110y

Class 1

13:10 Ayr

Matata

12st 0lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Something to prove regarding current form although he didn't take to the National fences when pulled up mid-race in the Topham at Aintree last week; this is a lower grade than he's used to contesting and he's capable of playing a big role if back on song now returned to conventional fences.

14/1

2

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 5f 19y

Class 1

16:05 Aintree

Matata

11st 13lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Better than ever when easily winning at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) on New Year's Day and on that evidence this 5lb higher mark isn't necessarily beyond him; however, two lesser runs have followed; has to get back on track.

25/1

5th

9

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

Matata

11st 10lb

J: J J Slevin

T: Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies

Nearly all races at around 2m1f and the step up to 2m4f was clearly a stretch behind Jonbon in an Aintree Grade 1 last April; coped better with the trip when a convincing winner of a C&D handicap (good; has won on soft) in January but a lesser effort followed at Windsor and he aims a lot higher here.

33/1

Form: 317-13 D

Last run: 63 days

W: 11st 8lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 156

Form & Verdict
Couple of Grade 2 wins include a defeat of Matata at Lingfield but he is now worse off with that rival; creditable third in the Tingle Creek most recently; has developed into a very useful chaser but this looks difficult under 6lb penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

4

25th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 99y

Class 1

14:55 Sandown

JPR One

11st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Form since upped to 2m4f comprises a handicap win at Musselburgh and fourth-place finishes in Grade 1 events at Cheltenham and Aintree; return to shorter may not be an issue but he ideally needs a drop back in class.

16/1

4th

4

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 200y

Class 1

15:30 Aintree

JPR One

11st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Proved his stamina when readily defying top weight in handicap at Musselburgh (2m4f, good to soft) in January, and he was disputing the lead entering the straight in the Ryanair at Cheltenham (2m4f, good) last month only to fade up the hill; beaten just over 16l by the winner Heart Wood but today's less demanding track should be a big plus; not ruled out each-way.

14/1

4th

7

12th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 127y

Class 1

16:00 Cheltenham

JPR One

11st 10lb

J: Brendan Powell

T: Joe Tizzard

Made short work of conceding plenty of weight in his first 2m4f chase - a Musselburgh handicap (good to soft) in January - and with his best sibling staying 3m well, there's a fair chance he'll cope with this much stiffer test at the trip; however, his three previous Festival runs, including a 2m handicap last year, suggest he'll be pushed to play a part in this company.

33/1

OUR TIP

Form: 3-3F23 CD

Last run: 21 days

W: 11st 8lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 161

Form & Verdict
Made all (unchallenged) in this race 12 months ago when only two of the four runners finished; faces stiffer opposition this time round and although consistent since, his level is known, whereas some of these rivals are still improving.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

25th Apr 2026

Good

1m 7f 99y

Class 1

14:55 Sandown

Edwardstone

11st 10lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Alan King

Admirable veteran, albeit isn't quite the force of old and gained this season's win in substandard Grade 2 at Kempton (2m4f); also perhaps ideally suited by further than about 2m nowadays; beaten twice in this race.

33/1

3rd

1

6th Apr 2026

Good

2m 0f 219y

Class 2

14:35 Plumpton

Edwardstone

12st 0lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Alan King

12yo whose career highlight came when winning the Tingle Creek in 2022; showed he retains considerable spark when winning Grade 2 at Kempton (2m4f, good) this January; he may prefer a longer trip than this nowadays but he's a leading player nevertheless now back in a handicap.

5/2

4th

3

14th Feb 2026

Soft

2m 5f 13y

Class 1

15:35 Ascot

Edwardstone

11st 10lb

J: Tom Cannon

T: Alan King

Acts on any ground; formerly a high-class chaser at about 2m, best form when winning the 2022 Tingle Creek; seems better suited by further nowadays and, despite his advancing years, managed to land a Grade 2 prize over 2m4f at Kempton most recently; recapturing Grade 1 honours at the age of 12 is not completely implausible, as he's technically still unexposed at this sort of trip and his two main rivals are also veterans.

10/1

Non-runners

Sir Gino

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £53.20
Straight Forecast £53.46
Trifecta £125.40

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Matata

Telegraph:

Libberty Hunter

Daily Mail:

Edwardstone

RP RATINGS:

Matata

TOPSPEED:

Matata

POSTDATA:

Matata

WEST COUNTRY:

Matata

The Times:

Matata

The Guardian:

Matata

Daily Mirror:

Matata

The Sun:

Matata

The Star:

Matata

Daily Record:

Matata

D Express:

Libberty Hunter