 Twist Magic was having his second run of the season |
Twist Magic led from start to finish for an impressive victory in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown. The 9-4 second favourite, who won the race in 2007, was taken into the lead from the start by jockey Ruby Walsh and jumped superbly after that. He powered on for a fifth consecutive win in the race for champion trainer Paul Nicholls. Forpadytheplasterer was the only horse to mount any sort of a challenge but he finished 15 lengths back in second. Irish challenger Big Zeb, who went off as the 15-8 favourite never got to grips with the ground and was a distant fourth. Despite his previous win in the race, Twist Magic had only become the Nicholls first string after reigning champion Master Minded was ruled out after a stress fracture to a rib which is set to keep him sidelined until January But the seven-year-old, who finished strongly up the Sandown hill, had his odds for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival cut from 20-1 to 10-1 while Master Minded remains the 7-4 favourite. "He jumped the first couple well and never missed a beat after that," said Walsh after the win.  | 606: DEBATE |
"He handled the ground well and it was a tremendous performance. On his day he is a very good horse and when he needed to he was nimble at the last." It was a third big weekend success in a row for Nicholls and Walsh following the victories of Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase and Denman in the Hennessy and Nicholls was impressed with the performance. "He's a character, he needs a lot of work and today he was probably as well as he has ever looked," said the champion trainer. "Tactically that was brilliant. Ruby didn't get the credit he deserved for Denman last week and we spent more time than ever this week talking about tactics and that was spot on. "Two years ago Kauto Star won the Betfair, Denman won the Hennessy and Twist Magic won this. "That was a career-best today from him. We'll have a think now where we go. He's in at Leopardstown over Christmas but I almost wouldn't mind going to the Champion Chase with him a fresh horse. We'll have to see." Trainer Colm Murphy was at a loss to explain Big Zeb's lacklustre display. He said: "It was disappointing and he never got into a rhythm at all. Barry (Geraghty) said he was never happy and he got close to a few down the back. "He certainly wasn't the same horse who won at Navan. He does go well fresh so perhaps we have run him back too quick. "As far as Leopardstown is concerned later this month, we will see what the ground is like and take a decision nearer the time."
Tingle Creek Chase (Sandown)
1. Twist Magic (R Walsh) 9-4
2. Forpadydeplasterer (A P McCoy) 9-2
3. Well Chief (T J Murphy) 4-1
5 ran
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