PNicholls

Here's my preview of Master Minded ahead of today's Champion Chase:

Probably the most maligned and misunderstood horse in training! Whatever he has done since 13th March 2008 seems to be a disappointment to everyone, no matter what he does. And that includes winning six Grade 1s and two Grade 2s subsequently!

But it is about time that people forgot his 19 length defeat of Voy Por Ustedes and focus on what he is doing at the moment. And that is continuing to be a top-class chaser who comes into this race with the form and with the best credentials - in my mind at least.

His stop-start 2009-10 campaign culminated in a modest fourth here last year, but a breathing operation in the summer has put that behind us. He looked a different animal in his first two wins this season at Ascot and Cheltenham and then we had the Victor Chandler victory in January.

And there are two ways of looking at race. Personally, I think that I didn't have him in the same form as his two earlier wins there. But then you have Tony McCoy admitting that he went far too soon there after looking set to win by a wide margin, and Timeform saying that his short head defeat of Somersby was actually his best form effort since that 2008 race.
But, whatever way you look at it, I am delighted with him at home - he looks magnificent and as well as he ever done. A lot of people think that the good ground is a negative and it is true that he has always had cut in the ground when winning, and lost both his starts on officially good going. But you play the hand you are dealt with and he wasn't right on good ground at last year's Festival, and it was a mistake 2 out (and possibly the 2m4f) that beat him in the Melling Chase at Aintree on the only other time he encountered the going.

I respect the opposition, particularly last year's winner Big Zeb and my other horse, but I think bookmakers are being generous in offering him at 10-3 to regain his crown and win his third Champion Chase.

To read Paul's views on all his Day Two runners at The Festival - and to get his best three chances - go to http://betting.betfair.com/horse-racing/paul-nicholls/