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Victor Chandler Chase 2011  

Ascot Racecourse

FormGenie Horse Race Predictions

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By Dylan Jenear ValueChecker

Master Minded odds-on for the Victor Chandler Chase
19/01/11

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls and owner Clive Smith, deflated following Kauto Star’s defeat in the King George at Kempton, will be hoping for better luck this weekend when Master Minded bids to win the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot for the second time on Saturday. He is generally a 4-7 chance to repeat his 2009 pyrotechnics in this Grade 1 contest.

Saintsaire
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Saintsaire

So imperious in landing the 2008 and ’09 renewals of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the French import lost his air of invincibility when beaten twice last season, including when gunning for a third consecutive victory in the aforementioned two-mile chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

However, Master Minded appears to be back on track this season, coming home in splendid isolation on his return at this track in the Amlin 1965 Chase before following-up in the rescheduled Tingle Creek last month at Cheltenham where he had five of his potential rivals this weekend – Petit Robin, Somersby, I’m So Lucky, Gauvain and Kalahari King – behind.

The eight-year-old appears to have benefited from a breathing operation during the summer, and the way he sailed over the last couple of fences at Cheltenham was reminiscent of the horse that looked nigh-on unstoppable in winning back-to-back Champion Chases. However, connections have also entered the gelding in the Ryanair Chase at this year’s Festival, so it’s far from certain that he will bid to regain the crown he lost to Big Zeb last spring.

Somersby finished to good effect when coming home 8½ lengths third to Master Minded in the Tingle Creek and at 8-1 with Stan James Henrietta Knight’s charge is an appealing each-way option for Saturday’s race. Knight has indicated, however, that the seven-year-old’s participation is ground-dependent, and if conditions are not deemed to be ideal he could instead head to Kempton for a graduation chase.

In addition to the odds-on favourite, Nicholls has entered Tchico Polos, while Nicky Henderson, who had a day to remember at Kempton last Saturday, also has two entries in the Victor Chandler Chase, with Mad Max set to take his chance along with Petit Robin. The imposing Mad Max, impressive when landing a Grade 2 novices’ chase at Aintree last spring, didn’t appear to stay 2m 5f at Cheltenham in his latest start and is another each-way contender back down in trip here.

Crack Away Jack
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Crack Away Jack

However, at 16-1 with Bet365 and , Crack Away Jack rates the best bet for a place, in the hope that at least eight of the current nine entries stand their ground for this valuable event. The son of Gold Away hasn’t been seen out since a below-par effort in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton in December 2009, but he was found to have incurred a tendon injury during that race and his trainer, Emma Lavelle, reports the gelding to be “in great shape”.

Successful in the Fred Winter at the 2008 Cheltenham Festival, Crack Away Jack was beaten less than three lengths when fourth in the Champion Hurdle at that meeting the following year. He looked a real prospect in this sphere when landing a beginners’ chase on his debut over the larger obstacles early in his 2009/10 campaign, and still remains a horse of real potential, given that he’s just seven. If he’s ready to roll at Ascot, he could be the one to give Master Minded something to think about.

Recommendation: Crack Away Jack (each-way)

 

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