Racing:Master Minded left trainer Paul Nicholls believing he is in the shape to recapture his glory days - despite the supreme two-miler suffering a heart-in-mouth moment at the final fence of the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
The winner of the last two Queen Mother Champion Chases had not been himself in the early stages of the season and was found to have a broken rib after his alarming defeat at Cheltenham in November.
There were no apparent problems with his well-being on his return to the course as the 8-13 favourite had pulled contemptuously clear of his four rivals and was just one leap away from another routine victory.
Master Minded has become known for his assured jumping and showed off quite a repertoire en-route but he ploughed right into the brush and had Ruby Walsh hanging on for dear life.
It was a fair impersonation of one of Kauto Star's old tricks at the last, but as his stablemate often managed before becoming the flawless performer he is now, he got out of jail.
With a massive advantage still in hand, Master Minded recovered to finish 13 lengths in front of Mahogany Blaze.
"It's really good to see him back," said Nicholls. "He jumped very well bar one mistake and he looked like his old self.
"I don't know why horses do that. He was dead straight apart from the last and he travelled really well.
"Two years ago he won this and won at Cheltenham and if he goes there in that form he will be very, very hard to beat."
The betting reflected as such for the Champion Chase with the seven-year-old now a best-priced 10-11 with totesport.
Nicholls continued: "I never had him right last year. He had a little problem and then he went to Ascot. He won at Cheltenham and I know he made a mistake at Punchestown but he wasn't at his best.
"I wonder how long he had that (rib problem) as his form had been a bit regressive.
"He had six weeks off and we couldn't ride him but he was on the walker for three hours a day in that time, which would have been about 15 miles.
"We needed to see him bounce back today. It's like any athlete, we gave him time to recover but you daren't leave him now. He'll walk tomorrow, probably canter on Monday then it's straight to Cheltenham."
Walsh blamed himself for the mistake, reporting: "That was completely my fault, there was no need to be thinking about a big extravagant jump at the last and it would have been my fault.
"He hung a bit in the race but he's always going to do that.
"He's back. He's an amazing horse and it's great to have him back. I don't know how he found a leg there but it shows how much horse I had left."
Not much could be said for the rest, with Mahogany Blaze running a little better to finish just in front of Fix The Rib.
Voy Por Ustedes, back over a shorter trip, beat only the 200-1 rag Kinkeel and will now aim to recapture the Ryanair Chase.
Trainer Alan King said: "He jumped super for a long way, but he is not a two-miler any more. He needed to run and the idea was to come here and find out.
"He was staying on again and it has made the decision very easy - he will go for the Ryanair."
McCoy bounces back after fall
Tony McCoy bounced back from the disappointment of Denman's shock fall in the Aon Chase as Get Me Out Of Here (6-1) landed the totesport Trophy.
Jonjo O'Neill's charge was travelling supremely well into the straight and came there strongly at the last to challenge Ronaldo Des Mottes.
It looked like McCoy's day might take a further knock as his mount ploughed through the last, but he picked up strongly on the level to win going away by a length and three-quarters.
Manyriverstocross took third, with 11-2 favourite Mamlook fourth.
O'Neill said: "He jumped well and travelled well through the race. He was a little bit inexperienced after the last but when he got going he ran on well.
"He's been gradually coming on after every run. He's in both the Supreme and the Neptune at Cheltenham and we will take a decision nearer the time."
David Pipe said of Ronaldo Des Mottes and Mamlook: ''They have both run blinders. To be fair the winner made a mistake at the last, so we got more of an advantage. The handicaps haven't opened for Cheltenham yet but neither have produced their best form there.''
Alan King said of Manyriverstocross: ''Very pleasing, it was a good solid run. It's only his fifth run and he'll go to Cheltenham. I'm not sure where yet and I might step him up in trip, although I haven't talked about it to the owners yet.''