Horse Racing

Master Minded On The Mend

Master Minded, another example for the fine training of Paul Nicholls, has resumed schooling after a broken rib forced him to take a break from the track in mid-November last year. He is now preparing to race at Newbury in the totepool Game Spirit Chase on Saturday 13th February.

After taking the win in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2008 and 2009, the seven-year-old suffered an uncharacteristic setback when he lost to German Well Chief at Cheltenham on 15th November. It was his sub-standard performance that led Nicholls to detect a broken rib and immediately pull his charge from all scheduled future races.
In January Master Minded had recovered enough to resume cantering exercises under the watchful eye of Nicholls and owner Clive Smith. After a month of walking and regaining strength, the national hunt champion is now back in full training with a rider.

Smith, who also owns Kauto Star – whose appearance in the upcoming Cheltenham Gold Cup is one of the most anticipated meetings of the season -, feels hopeful that Master Minded will have recovered enough to hold his own at Newbury in nine days time. With seven wins out of ten starts, as well as placing second and third once respectively, Master Minded’s comeback is sure to make for an interesting race.