Top two set for battle as Master Minded faces Irish rival Big Zeb

Between them, the pair have won the last three renewals of the two-mile championship, with Master Minded kicking the sequence off with a quite staggering performance in 2008.

While he did not quite match the level of that 19-length demolition job 12 months later, his defeat of Well Chief at the Festival still confirmed his status as the undisputed king of the division, with new kid on the block Big Zeb fluffing his lines on the big occasion by crashing out at the fourth-last.

However, their respective careers took contrasting turns last season, as Master Minded suffered from a fractured rib for much of the campaign before relinquishing his Champion Chase crown with barely more than a whimper to Big Zeb, who finally got everything right on the day.

Indeed, Big Zeb looked to have gone from strengh to strength since then, twice beating another of today’s opponents, Golden Silver, with contemptuous ease before suffering a surprise reverse at the hands of Willie Mullins’s charge at Punchestown.

That loss was attributed to the testing conditions and it was still all systems go for the Festival but, back in England, a rejuvenated Master Minded had rattled up a hat-trick to signal a return to the peak of his powers – although, under an impatient Tony McCoy, he was almost collared by Somersby in the Victor Chandler.

There would appear to be no excuses as both warriors bid for glory once more, with Master Minded’s owner Clive Smith saying: “We’re very happy with him. The real difference is that last year he had a cracked rib and had a month off and went on the horse-walker and all that. When he came back in January last year he just wasn’t right for Cheltenham. This year he hasn’t missed a day’s training. He’s in much better shape and is right back to his best.”

Trainer Paul Nicholls is also bullish in his assessment of his eight-year-old’s claims, and added: “I’ve been confident all along Master Minded has a chance.

“He’s a dual Champion Chase winner. He was struggling with his breathing last season, we sorted that out and he has won three out of three this season.

“He was very impressive on goodish ground at Ascot, then on goodish ground in the Tingle Creek. He then just struggled on very soft ground at Ascot, when he wasn’t at his very best. He’s a different animal now he can breathe and he’s got a great chance.”

But Colm Murphy believes Big Zeb is also in peak condition ahead of the defence of his title.

The County Wexford handler admitted: “Getting beat by Golden Silver the last day was a combination of a few things and he’d missed his work before because of the frost, so he may have been a bit short. It’s like everything, if you could do it again you’d do it different. We’ve been delighted with him and we’re very hopeful. We’ve had a good run with him this year and everything has gone pretty much to plan and his preparation has gone very well. He’s more professional and seems to have grown up a bit.”

Although it seems like he has been around forever, at two years younger than his arch-rival, Master Minded still has plenty of time on his side and can become the first three-time Champion Chase winner since Badsworth Boy almost 30 years ago.

Nicholls has more major claims earlier on the card courtesy of Aiteen Thirtythree in the RSA Chase.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old – named after cheese-maker owner Paul Barber’s Vintage Reserve Cheddar – often flattered to deceive over timber but appeared a stronger animal when returning with a victory at Prestbury Park, and he has not looked back since having his attention switched to the larger obstacles.

Pitched straight into Grade Two company at the Hennessy meeting, he jumped with aplomb to hammer Voramar Two, and he then enjoyed an even more leisurely stroll on his Festival prep back at Newbury.

With Ruby Walsh opting to side with Mikael D’Haguenet, Daryl Jacob takes the reins and Nicholls said: “He’s a galloper, he jumps and has definitely got a chance in an open looking race.”

The gelding’s part-owner, Andy Stewart, is even more confident and believes his charge is well capable of putting it up to the favourite, declaring: “I think we’ll give Time For Rupert a race. We think our horse is massively improved as far as his last two wins are concerned.

“The handicapper has us 2lb behind Time For Rupert but I think we’ve improved at least that and I think the horse is phenomenal value.”

Bothy has been touched off in two of the most competitive handicaps of the season but his turn in the sun may have arrived in the Coral Cup.

Trained in Malton by Brian Ellison, the grey made Menorah pull out all the stops in the Greatwood and went under by just a short head in the totesport Trophy to John Quinn’s Recession Proof.

Although he has stamina to prove on his first attempt at two miles and five furlongs, his style of racing suggests it could eke out further improvement and could take some stopping.