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Cheltenham Ante-Post Betting: All change on Champion Chase market after Tingle Creek
/ Joe Dyer / 06 December 2009 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet
Master Minded shortens after disappointing efforts from Well Chief and Big Zeb at Sandown
Although strolling on the walker at home with a fractured rib instead of attempting to run his rivals ragged in the Tingle Creek at Sandown, Master Minded was the big mover in the Champion Chase betting yesterday.
He drifted out to over [4.8] on Betfair for the race when his 2009-10 campaign seemed to be in jeopardy earlier this month, but is into [2.84] after two crucial bits of information were confirmed.
Most importantly, Paul Nicholls revealed in Saturday's Racing Post that his star 2m chaser had been hanging badly right-handed on the track and at home because of a fractured rib.
And, secondly, the Esher eclipse of Big Zeb ([11.0] for the Champion Chase) and Well Chief ([21.0]), means that a full recovery probably makes it an odds-on chance that he will once again be crowned the 2m king at Cheltenham in March.
Twist Magic probably ran a career-best performance when careering to victory yesterday, and is in to [10.5] for the race, having been matched as high as [160.0] on Betfair for the race.
But a glance at his Cheltenham record - two falls (even though he looked to be going best when coming to grief two out in the 2007 Arkle) and a distant sixth to Master Minded in 2008 - suggests that his revised price of [10.5] can be resisted.
Betfair spokesman Tony Calvin commented: "It could well be that Master Minded's passage to the Festival may be more problematic than expected, and that is the only thing that is holding his price up at [2.84] after events at Sandown yesterday.
"Barker is the latest horse to throw his hat into the ring at Punchestown this afternoon, and an impressive performance could easily see him halved in price as the Champion Chase looks to have little strength in depth at present."
