Nicholls expects improvement from Master

Paul Nicholls believes there is still plenty of improvement in Master Minded after he bounced back to form in the Game Spirit Chase on Saturday.

The dual Champion Chase hero had been beaten into third on his first start of the campaign, but it later transpired that he had suffered a broken rib.

Nicholls' seven-year-old displayed all of his trademark zest at Newbury - his first start for three months - and overcame a bad mistake at the final fence to come home unchallenged.

"It was a pleasing effort because he jumped straight and he didn't hang," said Nicholls.

"As I'd said before, there's a lot to work on as we only started riding him again on January 6.

"He'd done three half-speed bits of work and lots of steady work, so he's bound to improve on that and it will sharpen him up."

Also a Cheltenham possible is fellow Newbury winner Al Ferof, who turned in an impressive display in the concluding bumper.

"He's a very nice horse and straight after the race John (Hales, owner) rang me and said he didn't want to run him again this season," Nicholls told At The Races.

"Then he slept on it and had a few brandies and said he'd like him to go to Cheltenham if the ground is OK, so he could head for the Champion Bumper."