On a day of drama at Newbury on Saturday Master Minded overcame an horrendous mistake at the final fence to land the Game Spirit Chase.
Two-time champion returns with heart-stopping win
On a day of drama at Newbury on Saturday Master Minded overcame an horrendous mistake at the final fence to land the Game Spirit Chase.
With stable companion Denman having blundered his chance away in the Aon Chase earlier in the day, all eyes were on the two-time Champion Chase winner on his return to action following a broken rib.
As with Denman, he appeared to be cruising to victory under Ruby Walsh following mighty leaps three out and the next, leaving his four rivals trailing.
But the seven-year-old met the last all wrong, firing Walsh into the air, and the Irishman did remarkably well to keep the partnership intact.
The pair had built up such a lead that despite losing all momentum, they were able to hack home 13 lengths clear of Mahogany Blaze.
"That was great, he jumped and travelled well and jumped dead straight until the last," said the trainer. "I wonder how long he had that (rib problem) as his form had been a bit regressive.
"He had six weeks off and we couldn't ride him but he was on the walker for three hours a day in that time, which would have been about 15 miles.
"He's been cantering away and he won't have long off, he'll probably canter on Monday and then it's straight to Cheltenham."
Voy Por Ustedes beat just one home and his trainer Alan King said: "He has jumped super for a long way, but he is not a two-miler any more. He needed to run and the idea was to come here and find out.
"He was staying on again and it has made the decision very easy - he will go for the Ryanair."
Nicholls and Walsh were completing a treble on the day following the earlier victories of Tricky Trickster in the Aon Chase and Alfie Sherrin in the totescoop6 Handicap Hurdle.
The imposing seven-year-old has been given time to recover from his defeat at Chepstow in October and drew clear over the final three flights to score in taking fashion despite idling on the run-in.
"He likes to keep a bit to himself so that was very pleasing," said Nicholls. "When he got beaten at Chepstow my horses were all wrong and I might not have done enough with him.
"He has done a lot of hard graft since and could go for the Pertemps Final."
And the pair completed four-timers when the grey Al Ferof landed the concluding bumper at odds of 11/4, seeing off the challenge of Made In Time.
