Paul Nicholls has issued an upbeat bulletin on Master Minded as he continues his recovery from a stress fracture to a rib. The six-year-old gelding was found to have the problem after finishing behind Well Chief and Mahogany Blaze in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham on November 15.
Master Minded still heads Champion Chase Market
Nicholls told the press:
“We started riding him Monday morning and he was in good form. We’ve plenty of time to get him right and although we can never be confident he’ll get there we can be hopeful. If he’s there on the day it means we’ve had a good run and he’ll be in the form of his life. He’ll either go there in that sort of shape or not at all.”
Master Minded is the 7/4 favourite for the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and stablemate Twist Magic is second in the betting at 7/1. He doesn’t have the best record at the Festival, falling in the Arkle and Champion Chase and finishing sixth in the latter race on his only completed start at the March meeting.
However, Nicholls said: “Records are there for breaking. Hopefully with a bit of decent ground and because he’s in better shape this year you never know. Twist Magic at his very, very best could be the one who will make Master go. He runs in the Victor Chandler at Ascot at the end of the month and he’s in great form.”
Paul Nicholls says Poquelin is right ‘up there’ with previous Cheltenham Festival winners Taranis and Thisthatandtother.
The latter won the Grade 2 Daily Telegraph Trophy in 2005 while Taranis won the same race under the Ryanair guise in 2007.
Now a Grade One contest, the Ryanair Chase is the next target for Poquelin following his impressive win in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Prestbury Park in December.
Nicholls told sportinglife.com: “He’s improving enormously and he’s probably got a bit more speed than them and he’s definitely be up there with them without a doubt.
“He’s the most improved horse in our yard this year. He’s in great form and he’s going to go straight to Cheltenham fresh like Kauto, Big Buck’s and Master Minded.
“He’s in good order and I’m really looking forward to that race with him.”
Poquelin is the 4/1 favourite for the Ryanair Chase with Sky Bet.
