In the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Wednesday's feature race, the imperious Master Minded will be hoping for back-to-back wins.

Last year, Paul Nicholls's star won by a massive 19 lengths over Voy Por Ustedes, becoming at only five, the youngest horse to win the race and putting in what proved to be one of the most dominant performances at the Festival.

Although he suffered a reversal at the hands of Voy Por Ustedes at Aintree in April, he has returned impressively this year and is a short-priced favourite to retain his crown.

With a 10-length win over Tidal Bay in the Tingle Creek at Sandown and then another impressive victory at a canter in the Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot in January, his form marks him out as a winner.

Nicholls describes the horse as the best he has ever trained and believes he has improved since last year, which is ominous news for the rest of the field.