Masterly performance from Minded

Ridden by Ruby Walsh, the five-year-old made a mockery of his tender years to sluice up for owner Clive Smith, of Kauto Star fame, and trainer Paul Nicholls. The 3-1 second-favourite gained a decisive initiative half-way through the two-mile heat and barely touched a twig en route to a 19-length success from Voy Por Ustedes.

Walsh told Channel 4 Racing: "He's some horse and he's only a five-year-old. That was fabulous every step of the way. They went one hell a gallop and he was running away everywhere. At the top of the hill I was thinking 'just hang on fella' just get over these fences - he's a machine."

He added: "I had it won at halfway but I thought he was going too easy - I thought he might cut out at the top of the hill or something. He didn't though and he just kept picking up and picking up - Clive Smith is one lucky man! He has beaten last year's winner 19 lengths and that shows how he has improved in the last month."

Nicholls added: "He's awesome for a five-year-old. He jumped absolutely brilliantly. I'm gobsmacked. I know he's been improving at home. He's obviously a hugely talented horse, just incredible. He's a proper horse to win a race like that.

"I never dreamt we would be where we are now with him. It is a release of pressure to win as we have had one or two reverses, but that is the way it goes here. I thought this was a horse for next year, but it didn't take long to work out he is a good horse and I haven't seen anything improve like he has since him came to us.

"He shows so much ability and everything about him is class. I said to Ruby I had a feeling he was a good as Azertyuiop who won this race for us in 2004, and he said to me when he got off that I was right. He won't run again this season and roll on next year - it will take some horse to beat him."

Smith said: "That really was a great performance. Paul said he'd improved by two stone this year, so that's incredible."

Alan King shifted the spotlight on to Master Minded after runner-up Voy Por Ustedes failed to retain his crown, saying: "We just got beaten by a proper one. For a five-year-old to do that was extraordinary. There's no hiding place, and we've beaten everything else out of sight. We'll go to Aintree now if he's all right."

Philip Hobbs was thrilled with the effort of third-placed Fair Along and said: "He was flat-out from the word go, got too far behind and then ran on at the end. The obvious race for him is over two and a half miles at Aintree and the way he was finishing, I don't think the extra distance will be a problem."