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Racing News
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Taipan Set for Master Minded Test at The Open
11/11/09
Master Minded is set to make his seasonal debut in a fascinating first running of the Connaught Chase (1.45pm) at The Open on Sunday, November 15. The champion chaser is among a top-class entry for the two-mile contest that also includes the Tom Mullins-trained Made In Taipan, as well as old rivals Well Chief and Newmill.
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The Open is staged over three days (Friday, November 13 - Sunday, November 15) and Sunday’s feature race is the 100,000 Grade Three Queen Mother Champion Chase victor Master Minded (2008 & 2009), the race has attracted Newmill, who held the speed chasers’ crown when winning the 2006 renewal of that Grade One contest. The 11-year-old was fourth to his younger rival in this year’s contest at The Festival in March and again at Punchestown in April.
Another top-class veteran among the five-day acceptors is the David Pipe-trained Well Chief. The 2004 Grade One Irish Independent Arkle Chase winner was runner-up to the great Moscow Flyer in the 2005 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and filled the same berth behind Master Minded in this year’s renewal. That effort came on his first start in almost two years.
The Paul Nicholls-trained Free World could stablemate Master Minded, while Striking Article from the Howard Johnson yard, the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Mahogany Blaze, William Butler from the Evan Williams stable and the Tony Carroll-trained Kinkeel could also line up.
LATEST CHELTENHAM GOING
After 5mm of rain overnight, the going at Cheltenham is Good, Good to Soft in places on the chase and hurdles courses and Good, Good to Firm in places on the Cross Country course. Light rain is forecast over the next couple of days with wetter conditions expected on Friday and Saturday.
