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2026 Game Spirit Chase Preview
Scheduled to take place in February of each year at the Newbury racecourse is the Game Spirit Chase, a Grade 2 that is open to runners aged five or older and is run over a distance of two miles and a half furlong, where a total of thirteen fences are to be jumped.
The race is named in honour of twenty-one-time winner Game Spirit, a horse that was owned by the Queen Mother. The majority of the winners will go on to run in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham the following month. Azertyuiop (2004) and Altior (2018) went on to win that race next time out, whilst Altior (2017) also went on to win the Arkle Chase at the Festival next time out, as did Sprinter Sacre (2012).
Game Spirit Chase Information:
- Game Spirit Chase Past Winners
- Game Spirit Chase Trainer Statistics
- Game Spirit Chase Jockey Statistics
We also have a dedicated Newbury tips page that will cover this race as well as all of the other races on the day of the race. See which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are predicting to win this race and the others on the cards. You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Other Principal Races at Newbury Racecourse section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2026
How competitive is the Game Spirit Chase market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2016 when the race had an over-round of 107%. The race in 2020 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 117%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Game Spirit Chase, the over-round has been 110%, which means the bookie expects to pay out ÂŁ100 for every ÂŁ110 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Game Spirit Chase Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Game Spirit Chase Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Game Spirit Chase races over the last 20 renewals:
- Funambule Sivola (3:51.72) in 2023
- Sprinter Sacre (3:57.72) in 2012
- Altior (4:01.25) in 2020
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Game Spirit Chase next time out, then you would have backed a total of 6 winners. Backing all 20 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -5.89. Whilst we wait for the 2026 Game Spirit Chase, remember you can get daily racing predictions from the expert tipsters on the racing predictions page.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2014 renewal when Module from Tom George under the guidance of Paddy Brennan, won in a time of 4:21.55, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Funambule Sivola, trained by Venetia Williams and ridden by Charlie Deutsch set the quickest time of 3:51.72 in the 2023 renewal.
What the expert says...
Andy Powell - Horse Racing Betting Expert - OLBG.com
Game Spirit Chase Past Winners
Here are the Game Spirit Chase past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won, along with the age & weight of the horse. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Game Spirit Chase are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
Race Notes: Ran at Lingfield in 2006 and the race was abandoned in 2009 & 2019.
| Year | Horse | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 4:09.10 | Master Chewy (IRE) 8yo 11-5 11/1 | Sam Twiston-Davies Nigel Twiston-Davies (GB) |
| 2024 4:06.40 | Edwardstone (GB) 10yo 11-8 11/10F | Tom Cannon Alan King (GB) |
| 2023 3:51.72 | Funambule Sivola (FR) 8yo 11-8 7/1 | Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams (GB) |
| 2022 4:01.35 | Funambule Sivola (FR) 7yo 11-0 9/4 | Charlie Deutsch Venetia Williams (GB) |
| 2021 4:05.18 | Sceau Royal (FR) 9yo 11-0 3/1F | Daryl Jacob Alan King (GB) |
| 2020 4:01.25 | Altior (IRE) 10yo 11-6 1/3F | Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2018 4:19.60 | Altior (IRE) 8yo 11-6 1/3F | Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2017 4:05.80 | Altior (IRE) 7yo 11-5 30/100F | Nico de Boinville Nicky Henderson (GB) |
| 2016 4:20.10 | Top Gamble (IRE) 8yo 11-5 11/10F | Richard Johnson Kerry Lee (GB) |
| 2015 4:09.30 | Mr Mole (IRE) 7yo 11-6 7/2 | A P McCoy Paul Nicholls (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Game Spirit Chase have been based:
- GB: 20 winners with an additional 13 placings from 101 runners
- FR: 0 winners with an additional 0 placings from 2 runners
2025 Game Spirit Chase Replay
Game Spirit Chase Trainer Statistics
There are two leading trainers in the Game Spirit Chase over the last 20 renewals, with both Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson, who have both won the race five times. Paul Nicholls' winners have been with Azertyuiop (2004 & 2005), Master Minded (2008 & 2010) and Mr Mole (2015). Nicky Henderson winners have been with French Opera (2011), Sprinter Sacre (2012) and Altior (2017, 2018 & 2020). Other trainers who have recorded multiple wins in the Game Spirit Chase are Alan King (2 wins) and Venetia Williams (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Game Spirit Chase trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Nicholls | 27-5-8 | -14.67 | -6.00 |
| Nicky Henderson | 10-5-8 | -0.14 | +3.06 |
| Alan King | 11-2-4 | -4.90 | -1.87 |
| Venetia Williams | 4-2-2 | +7.25 | -1.00 |
| Nigel Twiston-Davies | 5-1-2 | +7.00 | +5.13 |
| David Pipe | 4-1-1 | -0.50 | -1.50 |
| Tom George | 2-1-1 | +0.38 | -1.00 |
| Philip Hobbs | 1-1-1 | +4.00 | +2.50 |
| Kerry Lee | 1-1-1 | +1.10 | +0.00 |
| Joe Tizzard | 3-0-0 | -3.00 | -1.00 |
Game Spirit Chase Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Game Spirit Chase over the last 20 renewals is Nico de Boinville, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Altior (2017, 2018 & 2020). The only other jockey to have recorded multiple wins in the Game Spirit Chase is Charlie Deutsch (2 wins).
Here are some of the top Game Spirit Chase jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nico de Boinville | 4-3-4 | -0.04 | +0.34 |
| Charlie Deutsch | 4-2-2 | +7.25 | -1.00 |
| Sam Twiston-Davies | 5-1-1 | +7.00 | +5.88 |
| Tom Cannon | 2-1-1 | +0.10 | -1.00 |
| Harry Cobden | 4-0-0 | -4.00 | -2.00 |
| Brendan Powell | 3-0-0 | -3.00 | -1.00 |
| James Reveley | 2-0-1 | -2.00 | -0.50 |
| Jonathan Burke | 2-0-0 | -2.00 | -1.00 |
| Tom Bellamy | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +0.63 |
| Adam Wedge | 1-0-1 | -1.00 | +0.06 |
2026 Game Spirit Chase Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, UR, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 1, 3
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (72%) - Dam is not GB/NZ/USA bred
- 20 / 20 (73%) - No bigger than 11/1
- 20 / 20 (75%) - Ran in 2 - 8 races (Going)
- 20 / 20 (76%) - Had 1 - 17 wins (Jockey)
- 20 / 20 (77%) - Ran in 2 - 17 races (Chase)
- 20 / 20 (81%) - No bigger than 5/1 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Ran in 8 - 35 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - In a field of 3 - 9 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (84%) - Achieved an RPR of 148+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Highest Won is not G3/LST/Cl3-5
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Achieved an RPR of 132+ (Going)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Career Win)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Achieved a TS of 126+ (Last 5)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Held an OR of 140+ (Last 5)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Within the first 5 of the market
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Newbury racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Game Spirit Chase. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over ÂŁ6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Game Spirit Chase by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Game Spirit Chase Trend Analysis
â The trend factor, which has produced 10+ winners and shows the best LSP, an LSP of +7.96, is when runners had 3 season starts.
â The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners had 0 career wins with the jockey, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-25.
The course which has produced the most winners of the Game Spirit Chase is Kempton; there have been a total of 6 winners of this race who ran at Kempton last time out. The next best course, which has produced the second most winners, is Sandown; there have been a total of 5 winners of this race who ran at Sandown last time out.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Game Spirit Chase:
- High Chaparral (3 Wins)
- Baby Turk (2 Wins)
- Nikos (2 Wins)
- Noroit (2 Wins)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Master Chewy in 2025, winning for Nigel Twiston-Davies at odds of 11/1 under the guidance of Sam Twiston-Davies. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 12 winning favourites in the race. Remember to use the best racing tipsters along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 Game Spirit Chase.
Route to the Game Spirit Chase
Many trainers target races as preparation for the Game Spirit Chase. These are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Master Chewy Cheltenham - 3rd of 6 (5/2) | BetMGM Handicap Chase |
| 2024 - Edwardstone Kempton - 4th of 5 (5/2) | Coral Silviniaco Conti Chase |
| 2023 - Funambule Sivola Cheltenham - 5th of 6 (66/1) | Clarence House Chase |
| 2022 - Funambule Sivola Doncaster - 1st of 7 (5/4) | Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap Chase |
| 2021 - Sceau Royal Kempton - F of 6 (9/2) | Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase |
| 2020 - Altior Ascot - 2nd of 3 (1/3) | Christy 1965 Chase |
| 2018 - Altior Sandown - 1st of 4 (3/10) | Celebration Chase |
| 2017 - Altior Kempton - 1st of 4 (1/9) | 32Red.com Wayward Lad Novices Chase |
| 2016 - Top Gamble Cheltenham - 3rd of 11 (8/1) | Cheltenham New Year's Day Handicap Chase |
| 2015 - Mr Mole Sandown - 1st of 7 (5/2) | 32RedSport.com Handicap Chase |
Article Contributor Information
We are fortunate to have an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to the creation and maintenance of this Game Spirit Chase Preview are Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse Racing Tips team, overseeing the tipsters and managing the tip settlement, while also creating and managing all the horse racing event previews for National Hunt Racing.
Darren Brett
Expert Guide
Andy Powell
Expert Guide
