Melling date for Master Minded
Master Minded is set to step back up to two and a half miles in the John Smith‘s Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday week as connections contemplate trying him over three miles next season.
The King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day is a possible objective for the eight-year-old, who was well-beaten in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, a race he has won twice in the past.
“He‘s going for the two-and-a-half-mile chase as long as he‘s fit and well,” trainer Paul Nicholls told At The Races.
“The way he ran in the Champion Chase this year, he‘s not going to beat those horses again unless the ground is very soft.
“We‘ve got to pick and choose our races with him and probably go a bit further and he could go for the King George.
“He won over two and a half at Ascot first time this year. It just happens a bit quick for him over shorter now so we might give it a try.
“We‘ll probably start him off at Ascot again next season over two and a half and take it from there.”
Cheltenham Festival winners Big Buck‘s (World Hurdle) and Zarkandar (Triumph Hurdle) are also among Nicholls‘ team for Aintree.
“Big Buck‘s runs at Aintree on the first day in the three-mile hurdle. He‘s in good form and didn‘t have too hard a race at Cheltenham. We know what he‘s like and he seems OK,” he added.
“Zarkandar also runs there on the first day in the juvenile hurdle.”
