In the 2m 4f handicap chase at Warwick today (3.55), Spiritofthegames looks weighted to go well and makes plenty of appeal at 17/2.
This Dan Skelton trained nine-year-old has not scored over the larger obstacles since making a winning chase debut in a Listed contest at Chepstow back in October 2018 when scoring by six lengths.
However, he has posted a series of solid efforts to make the frame in ultra-competitive handicaps.
They include when a cracking third of 22 to Siruh Du Lac in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase at the 2019 Cheltenham Festival where he came from off the pave and stuck to the task well for pressure to be nearest at the finish and beaten just three lengths off a mark of 147.
Spiritofthegames also ran a blinder at that venue when a head runner-up in the 2019 running of the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup off 146 and when a 1/2 length second to Cepage in a Grade 3 handicap off 149.
He was also far from disgraced at last year’s Cheltenham Festival when a 5 1/2 length sixth of 23 to Simply The Betts off 149 in the Grade 3 Brown Advisory.
Spiritofthegames comes into this on the back of two runs, looking as good as ever over this trip when a 3 1/4 length second of 16 to Coole Cody in the Grade 3 Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham off 148 before clearly finding 3m beyond him last time out when fourth in the Rowland Meyrick off the same rating.
The drop back to 2m 4f looks sure to see him in a far better light and Spiritofthegames is now able to race in this lower grade class 2 affair off 147.
It makes him a key player on the form is his aforementioned races and Lorcan Williams also takes off a handy 3lb with his claim.
Daily Sport recommended bet: 2pts each-way Spiritofthegames (17/2 bet365 – BOG)