Queen Mother More Open Than Betting Suggests

Master Minded heads the Queen Mother betting and today it was announced that he heads the 24 entries for the championship race at the festival. Last season we were all in awe of this great chaser as he was regarded as the highest rated horse in training and the manner in which he won the 2009 Victor Chandler Chase no one would have disputed this.

Master Minded was unbeaten in four starts up to the Connaught Chase at Prestbury Park in November where he was soundly beaten and the after race assessment was that he was suffering from a rib injury. The way he ran that day, hanging up the straight suggested that he was not right.

The bookies are taking no chances with his price which is no where near as short as last year but still this shows him as the clear favourite for the race. There are any number of Irish possibles for the race with seven entered, including the 2009 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy victor Forpadydepasterer as well as Big Zeb, who was travelling well when falling four out last year, the 2006 victor Newmill and Tranquil Sea, already a winner at Cheltenham this season following his victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 14. The smart novice chaser Sizing Europe has also been given an entry.

The local challenge may come from Well Chief, the 2004 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy victor and twice runner-up in the Cheltenham Festival Queen Mother Champion Chase and Voy Por Ustedes who is no stranger to Festival glory having captured both the 2006 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy and the 2007 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase.

There are many names in the line up that could win this race and this maybe a race that one should look at an ante post each way alternative to the favourite at this point and prices of the 2010 Queen Mother Chase.

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