Champion Chaser on course for seasonal reappearance Dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Master Minded is on course to make his seasonal debut at Cheltenham. Trainer Paul Nicholls is looking at the Connaught Chase on November 15 as the prep race for the ace two-miler ahead of the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 5. "He worked on Saturday with Kauto Star and worked very well. The race at Cheltenham is going to fit in great for him, as I was desperate to find a race for him before the Tingle Creek, which is his big target," said Nicholls. "I didn't want to run him in the Haldon Gold Cup, so to run him there will get him spot on." Also Cheltenham-bound the same day is Tataniano, who goes for the Grade Two Independent Newspaper Novices' Chase. The five-year-old leapt to prominence in the ante-post market for the Arkle Trophy at the Festival with a smooth debut success over fences at Exeter last month. "Tataniano needs a bit more experience and might go to Cheltenham before running at Sandown in the Henry VIII, a race we love to win, then have a break until the spring," the Ditcheat trainer went on. Master Minded's owner Clive Smith is looking forward to Free World returning to racecourse action following an operation to improve his breathing over the summer. "Free World has had a small hobday operation and I hope we are going to see a very improved horse this year," said Smith. "Last year on Tingle Creek day (when beaten a neck by Araldur in the Henry VIII) I think the time was only a second slower than Master Minded in the big race. We think he's a really good horse." Nicholls wants to see lots of rain for him to run Take The Breeze in the Mick Core 50th Birthday Beginners' Chase at Sandown on Saturday. "He'd need plenty more rain to run. He actually won at the meeting last year, but on the day it rained. If there's cut in the ground he'll run on Saturday, otherwise he'll wait," the trainer added.
