Masterminded Queen Mother Champion Chase

Master Minded is odds-on favourite for the 2009 Queen Mother Champion Chase and it is a case of how far, not if. Take him out of the equation though and it turns into a very competitive race indeed.

The National Hunt Chase saw Old Benny doing us a big favour in the colours of owner Trevor Hemmings in last year’s publication and, in the same silks, Coe would have a leading chance if his jumping holds up. Preference though is for former Festival winner Wichita Lineman, although Jonjo O’Neill’s runner also holds an engagement in the RSA Chase.

Casey Jones is also doubly entered and the winner of a Grade One in his native Ireland for Noel Meade would also enter calculations if they take the 4m option. Diamond Harry (NB) and Cousin Vinny have been vying for favouritism since we began betting on the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and it promises to be a wonderful renewal, even if the latter takes up his Supreme Novices’ engagement on day one.

Diamond Harry remains unbeaten after six starts for Nick Williams, including an impressive Grade One at Newbury and a workmanlike Grade Two at Cheltenham.

If Mikael D’Haguenet joins stable mate Cousin Vinny by missing the race, then Diamond Harry could go o quite short. What A Friend has surprised even Paul Nicholls by the rate of improvement this term and Sir Alex Ferguson’s six-year-old is unbeaten in two starts over the larger obstacles.

The Uttoxeter executive could never have dreamt that two horses who contested a Novice Chase back in October would now be leading fancies for the RSA Chase but, with Carruthers  nishing two lengths behind What A Friend on that occasion, that is certainly the case.

Despite jumping slightly to the left, the Lord Oaksey owned Carruthers put up a brilliant round of jumping at Ascot last time, and he would have been given the nod had it not been for the fact that his only poor run came at last year’s Festival. Race of the day is the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Master Minded is likely to go o the shortest price of any horse for many a year.

There is absolutely no reason to oppose the highest rated horse in training, which is just in a different class to his rivals.