Magic return delights Nicholls

The champion trainer is also dominating the Queen Mother Champion Chase build-up with Twist Magic, an impressive winner of the Victor Chandler Chase, confirmed as a worthy market rival to dual winner Master Minded.

Of course, West Witton trainer Ferdy Murphy will have something to say. His contender Kalahahri King will make his seasonal reappearance next month.

But, if he is to win the two-mile chase championship, he will have to beat both Master Minded and a rejuvenated Twist Magic.

Totesport and Coral trimmed the latter to just 4-1 for the March 17 encounter after the eight-year-old won the Victor Chandler by an imposing 12 lengths.

Ruby Walsh tried to stretch his rivals by going on soon after the tapes were lifted aboard the Tingle Creek winner but Petit Robin wanted to give chase and ranged upsides leaving Swinley Bottom.

Tony McCoy's mount blundered soon after, leaving the 11-8 favourite to make his own way home.

Delighted Nicholls said: "I wanted him to be at his very best today and I have never seen him look so good.

"He seems to have grown up and he'll head straight to Cheltenham now.

"On this form, he can win the Champion Chase and he is right in there."

Nicholls says Master Minded seems to be thriving following a fractured rib, and added: "At his very best, nothing can go with him."

Meanwhile, Venetia Williams reports her Grand National winner Mon Mome to be in grand order after running on to finish a hugely creditable fourth in Haydock's Peter Marsh Chase – a race won by the veteran Our Vic, a past winner of Wetherby's Charlie Hall Chase.

Aintree remains the target for her stable star.

CHAMPION Hurdle-winning trainer Nicky Henderson may be three-pronged for this year's contest – but his triumvirate are all going to have to beat Solwhit, the pride of Ireland.

Ridden by Davy Russell, Ferdy Murphy's former stable jockey, he is now the 3-1 favourite for the Cheltenham feature after winning the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

The Charles Byrnes-trained 5-6 favourite ran on strongly for a four-and-a-half-length success with Celestial Halo, runner-up at Cheltenham last year, the first to crack and a distant fourth.

Henderson's best hope for Cheltenham glory appears to rest with the galloping grey Zaynar, ridden to success earlier this season by Malton-born Andrew Tinkler.

Stablemate Binocular's form has been disappointing and Punjabi, the reigning champion, was well-beaten in Haydock's own Champion Hurdle Trial on Saturday by Alan King's Medermit.

Henderson put on a brave face afterwards. He said jockey Barry Geragthy reported that there was "nothing to worry about" and "the real Punjabi will be seen at Cheltenham". That remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, owner Paul Duffy admitted to being "proud

and relieved in equal measure" after Diamond Harry made a winning debut over fences at Haydock.

The Grade One-winning hurdler recorded a convincing 16-length victory over Knockara Beau and is now a 7-1 chance for the RSA Chase at Cheltenham.

But 'ride of the weekend' honours surely belong to the aforementioned Tinkler, who somehow cajoled a winning run out of 33-1 outsider Llama Farmer over Haydock's fixed brush obstacles.

It epitomised the young rider's growing maturity in the saddle.