Master class in Queen Mother

Master Minded produced one of the great performances by a two mile chaser to become the first five-year-old to win the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase.

The 3-1 second-favourite, like Kauto Star owned by Clive Smith and trained by Paul Nicholls, gained a decisive initiative from three out and barely touched a twig en route to a sensational 19 lengths victory over last year?s winner Voy Por Ustedes (5-2 favourite).

Tamarinbleu and Schindlers Hunt set a fierce early gallop, with the latter pulling clear after the third fence. However, Walsh was not having any of it and glided into contention over the sixth.

Voy Por Ustedes was the only rival with any audacity to challenge Master Minded as the pair went head to head with four to go.

While Alan King?s seven-year-old was soon hard at work, Nicholls? charge never broke sweat and easily stretched clear in the straight.

Fair Along was a further 16 lengths behind Voy Por Ustedes, while Twist Magic and Tamarinbleu both ran poorly and were never a factor.

Walsh told Channel 4 Racing: "He?s some horse and he?s only a five-year-old. That was fabulous every step of the way.

"They went one hell a gallop and he was running away everywhere. At the top of the hill I was thinking ?just hang on fella? just get over these fences - he?s a machine."

Nicholls added: "He?s awesome for a five-year-old, and jumped absolutely brilliantly.

"I?m gobsmacked. I know he?s been improving at home. He?s obviously a hugely talented horse, just incredible. He?s a proper horse to win a race like that."

orse, just incredible. He´s a proper horse to win a race like that."