Beneficial Spirit returned to form following a two and a half year period of injury problems and poor form when taking the Martinstown Opportunity Handicap Chase in good style.

The 8/1 chance didn't go unbacked as he was available at 25/1 this morning, although there were five non-runners mainly due to the change in ground.

Declan Bates had the eight-year-old gelding prominent throughout, and he really asserted before the second last to beat Information (6/1) by eleven lengths. Prosperity Square (5/1) kept on in the straight to be just three quarters of a length further away in third, while those who supported Caheenlea from 14/1 down to half those odds failed to get any run as he refused to start.

Winning trainer Philip Rothwell said: “He's a good horse but has been hard to train. He's suffered leg trouble and has been lame on and off.”

Alan Magee