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MASTER MINDED is poised to start the shortest priced Cheltenham Festival favourite since Arkle won the 1966 Gold Cup at odds of 1-10 following his latest awesome display in the Victor Chandler Chase.



The reigning Queen Mother Champion Chase hero, who posted an unextended 15-length success at Ascot, is now as short as 1-3 to successfully defend his title. Anyone keen to steam in at prohibitive prices can still get 2-5 with Coral and Stan James, who were both offering 1-2 before the Victor Chandler.

Ascot winners were much in demand for Cheltenham races, not least Karabak, whose impressive success in the track's finale prompted Totesportto slash him to 8-1 from 20-1 for the Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle.

Also shorter now than he was before Saturday's Ascot action is the Gary Moore-trained Panjo Bere, who was installed in Ladbrokes'and Totesport's Arkle Trophy betting at 12-1 following a shock Grade 2 novice chase victory.

The big mover from Haydock's Saturday card is Songe, who upset some star names in the Champion Hurdle Trial to earn himself a tilt at the Totesport Trophy, for which Coral make him 8-1 joint favourite from 20-1.

Cloudy Lane, who narrowly edged out Glasker Mill in the Peter Marsh Chase, is 20-1 from 25-1 for the Grand National with Totesport and 25-1 from 33-1 with Ladbrokes and Stan James.




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PAUL NICHOLLS has forecast that Master Minded's "best is yet to come" following the superstar chaser's latest exhilarating performance at Ascot on Saturday.

The sport's highest-rated jumper earned a Racing Post Rating of 181 when crushing his Victor Chandler Chase opponents by upwards of 15 lengths, winning so easily that Coral forecast the six-year-old could be sent off 1-4 or shorter when he seeks to defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase title in March.

Nicholls, who confirmed that Master Minded would head to Cheltenham after running in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on February 7, said: "It is just a case of getting him right and he does the rest. He is very, very good."

Asked to compare Clive Smith's champion with former 2m greats, Nicholls added: "It is very difficult to make that kind of comparisons and it is for other people to say not me. Moscow Flyer was a brilliant chaser and when he beat Azertyuiop and Well Chief it was one of the best races we have seen.

"What I will say is that Master Minded has got to be up there already with the very best 2m chasers and I think his best is yet to come."

Master Minded, who had started his season with a resounding success in the Tingle Creek Chase, is as shortas 1-3 for the Champion Chase, and though Coral offer 2-5, they expect him to start at more prohibitive odds on the day.

Spokesman Simon Clare said: "If Master Minded wins in the same style at Newbury in February and his Festival opposition dries up as expected, I could see him starting 1-4 or shorter come March 11."

Master Minded's nearest Ascot victim Petit Robin will not run before the Champion Chase after sustaining a cut during Saturday's race.

Trainer Nicky Henderson said: "He has got a couple of stitches in his pastern where he got a cut, but he will be all right and won't run again before Cheltenham.


"There's no doubt he'll be better going left-handed, but we'll probably all be only chasing second-place prize money. Master Minded is the best we've seen for a long time."

Comments

In these days of financial uncertainty, is there a better alternative to investing in Master Minded for the Champion Chase?? Okay an ISA doesnt have 8 fences to overcome but Master Minded doesnt have the credit crunch to cope with!!

PADDY POWER are paying out on Master Minded to win the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The bookmaker will pay out now on any ante-post singles placed on Paul Nicholls' brilliant chaser almost two months before he even goes to post in the championship contest.

Paddy Power, the firm's spokesman , said: "Fair play to anyone who's backed Master Minded ante-post for the Queen Mother and we're paying out with a smile on our faces as this horse is clearly a machine.

"I doubt that he'd go off as short as Arkle, but if he wins the Game Spirit impressively, I could see him threatening Flyingbolt as the shortest-priced winner of this race at 1-5 in 1966."