Twist Magic Champion Chase

Paul Nicholls‘ eight-year-old is enjoying arguably his best ever campaign having won the Tingle Creek at Sandown and Ascot’s Victor Chandler Chase.

With regular pilot Ruby Walsh unsurprisingly opting to ride stablemate Master Minded, Thornton will get the leg up on Wednesday week and part-owner Barry Fulton was thrilled after watching the combination in action on Tuesday morning.

“He just had a school round on his own under ‘Choc’ (Thornton) and everything went very well,” said Fulton. I have to say he is looking very well at the moment which is great as he has been a little dull in his coat in previous years. I am beginning to feel the nerves a little but it’s very exciting and we’re really looking forward to Cheltenham. He’s just seemed a different horse so far this year and I’m not too concerned about the ‘Cheltenham factor’ to be honest. I think he would have gone very close to winning an Arkle if he hadn’t fallen but it is all about jumping and I suppose he’s got to prove he gets up that hill. I really can’t complain about this season as he has already won two Grade Ones and who knows, maybe he’ll make it a third next week.”

The Best Prices for the Champion Chase are below;

Fulton acknowledges Twist Magic has plenty on his plate up against dual champion chaser Master Minded but is looking forward to the big clash.

“I had a quick word with Master Minded this morning but he wasn’t saying much,” quipped Fulton. We all know he’s the one to beat and I believe he’s in good form, so we’ll just have to see what happens on the day. We’ll have a fantastic day out no matter what.”

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Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

Nicholls on course for Champion Chase?

The firm also bet 7/1 that Master Minded beats his stablemate into second place and, ahead of Celestial Halo’s run in the Irish Champion Hurdle this afternoon, it is 25/1 that Nicholls lands all key feature races (Champion Hurdle, Chase, World Hurdle & Gold Cup).

Solwhit is 15/2 to win this afternoon’s Irish Champion Hurdle and the Cheltenham feature in March.


Cheltenham specials from Stan James:
Champion Chase Straight Forecast – Master Minded to beat Twist Magic 7/1

Paul Nicholls to win the 2010 Champion Chase? 4/5 Yes & Evens No

Paul Nicholls To Win The 4 Big Races At Cheltenham In 2010? 25/1 Yes

AP.McCoy v B.Geraghty (Cheltenham Festival Jockey Match Bet): 4-6 B.Geraghty v 11-10 A. McCoy

Cheltenham Festival Ground On 1st Day Special ?
4-5 Good To Soft
2 Good
7-2 Soft
11 Heavy

Champion Bumper 2010 Winning Trainer Nationality: 1-4 Irish Trainer v 3 British Trainer

An Cathaoir Mor was cut from 20/1 to 14s by Stan James for the Arkle after his last gasp success in the Irish equivalent earlier this afternoon. Runner up Sports Line was eased to 20s from 16s and Zarrito who fell at an early stage was left unchanged at 20/1.



The Arkle 2010 ~ Outright Ante Post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

4 Captain Cee Bee
5 Sizing Europe
7 Somersby
8 Tataniano
12 Riverside Theat’
12 Long Run
14 An Cathaoir Mor (from 20s)
16 Mad Max
16 Osana
16 Mikael D’Haguent
20 Medermit
20 Zaarito (unchanged)
20 Nicanor
20 Sports Line (from 16s)
25 Bar

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

Runner up Petit Robin jumped out to the left throughout the race and made mistakes, but was no match for the Paul Nicholls trained winner. Petit Robin was pushed out to 10/1 from 8s. In the Champion Hurdle picture Punjabi was pushed out to 16s from 10s to retain his crown at Cheltenham and is now the same price as his Haydock conqueror Medermit.

Queen Mother Champion Chase 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

6-4 Master Minded
5 Twist Magic (from 7s)
8 Forpadydeplasterer
8 Big Zeb
10 Petit Robin (from 8s)
10 Kalahari King
16 Barker
16 Sizing Europe
16 Golden Silver
20 Bar

Champion Hurdle 2010 ~ Outright Ante post, (place terms: 1/4 the first 3)

4 Zaynar
11-2 Go Native
11-2 Solwhit
8 Hurricane Fly
8 Binocular
9 Celestial Halo
9 Khyber Kim
14 Starluck
14 Voler La Vedette
16 Punjabi (from 10s)
16 Medermit (from 33s)
16 Dunguib
20 Sublimity

Stan James antepost market movers Saturday:

Roberto Goldbeck 16s from 25s for RSA Chase

Advisor 14s from 20s for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Diamond Harry 6s from 12s RSA Chase

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary

Paul Nicholls now holds both the first and second favourite with William Hill in Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, following Twist Magic’s impressive performance in the Tingle Creek today.

Master Minded still heads Champion Chase Market

Dominating the small, yet select field, the seven-year-old relished the change of tactics to storm home by 15-lengths from Forpadydeplaster. Bookmakers William Hill responded by slashing Twist Magic’s odds to 8-1 from 20-1 for the Queen Mother, behind 7-4 favourite Master Minded who received a cut from 9-4.
Big Zeb – weak in the market throughout the morning- finished unplaced and was eased out to 10-1 from 7-2, with Well Chief out to 12-1 from 5-1.

Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’Most of us forget that Twist Magic is still only seven, and still possesses an immense amount of ability. After beating many of the leading Queen Mother contenders today he fully deserves to be second-favourite, and now presents the greatest danger to his stable-mate Master Minded.’’

Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase: 7-4 Master Minded, 8-1 Twist Magic, 10-1 Big Zeb, Forpadydeplasterer, Kalahari King, 12-1 Well Chief, 16-1 Barker, 25-1 Petit Robin, 33-1 Mahogany Blaze (EW 1/4 1,2,3)

Cheltenham Festival News from Racing Diary