Master heads 24 for Champion

Master Minded is among 24 entries for the Grade One Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and aiming to become only the second horse to win the £320,000 two-mile championship three times, following Badsworth Boy in the 1980s. The seven-year-old is one of five entries for champion Jump trainer Paul Nicholls along with Free World, I’msingingtheblues, Takeroc and Twist Magic.

A strong Irish entry of seven includes the 2009 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy victor Forpadydepasterer as well as Big Zeb, who was travelling well when falling four out last year, the 2006 victor Newmill and Tranquil Sea, already a winner at Cheltenham this season following his victory in the Paddy Power Gold Cup on November 14. The smart novice chaser Sizing Europe has also been given an entry.

Well Chief, the 2004 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy victor and twice runner-up in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, has been entered by David Pipe.

Voy Por Ustedes is no stranger to Festival glory having captured both the 2006 Irish Independent Arkle Trophy and the 2007 Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. Alan King’s charge has been entered once more for the latter contest and is also one of 43 entries for the Grade One Ryanair Chase, in which he finished second last year as the odds-on favourite.

The Sir Robert Ogden-owned nine-year-old was sixth on his latest start in the Grade One Lexus Chase over three miles at Leopardstown on December 29. King is yet to decide whether his charge will contest the two-mile Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase, staged over an extra five furlongs and worth a record £250,000 in 2010.

The Barbury Castle trainer revealed today: “Voy Por Ustedes came back A-one from his run in Ireland and in all likelihood will go to the Game Spirit Chase (two miles & a furlong) at Newbury next month. We will have a look at our options based on what he does there.

“We have given him entries in both the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase, so at this stage he could go for either race.”

King has also entered Oh Crick in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. The seven-year-old triumphed in the Grade Three Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase at The Festival in March and added a further big-race success in the Grade Three Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree the following month.

King commented: “Oh Crick had a fantastic time last spring and we have given him an entry in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase. He may run in one of those races at Kempton this weekend and then go to Ascot for the Victor Chandler Chase. We will take a view after that. I would be surprised if he is a Queen Mother horse but the stage of the season we are at, we just thought he was due an entry.”