Racing:Injury-plagued Well Chief received a hero's welcome after defying his advancing years to lower the colours of Master Minded in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham.
Although the inaugural running of the two-mile test appeared to be a match on paper, the big guns were split by Mahogany Blaze as Master Minded finished out of the front two for the first time in a completed chase in Britain.
Paul Nicholls had warned the dual Champion Chase winner would benefit from the outing and the writing was on the wall for the 4-7 favourite as Timmy Murphy produced the David Pipe-trained Well Chief to lead over the third-last.
Master Minded had hung right throughout under Ruby Walsh and wilted on the run-in to finish nearly three lengths adrift of Mahogany Blaze, who was in turn a length and a quarter back from 11-4 second-favourite Well Chief.
Nicholls said: “For some reason he was just hanging right-handed and we will have to find out why. Funnily enough after he won at Sandown a long time ago Ruby said he wanted to go right-handed and wouldn’t be suited by Cheltenham, but we got over that.
“He has needed the run today, he’s having a blow, and he won’t have to give 10lb away again.
“We’ll have to see what happens in the Tingle Creek, but the concern is his hanging right-handed.”
Well Chief belongs to that great triumvirate of two-mile chasers alongside Moscow Flyer and Azertyuiop and was produced to near perfection by Pipe to bustle up Master Minded in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in March after nearly two years off the track.
Seven lengths separated the pair that day and Pipe and owner David Johnson were overjoyed he managed to turn the form around, albeit in receipt of a hefty weight concession.
Pipe said: “It is very special and it was very special to see the reception the crowd gave him, as they did when he finished second in the Champion Chase last season. He is not getting any younger. We just have to look after him even more and I am a lucky person to be able to train him.
“We have had a clear run with him and there is always going to be room for improvement. He has got a great attitude and is a great jumper. He has got the ability of a champion and wants to win.
“We’ll get him back to Pond House and hope his legs are OK and then look at the Tingle Creek.”