Nicholls Pair Top The Queen Mother Betting After Twist Sandown Triumph

Paul Nicholls now holds both the first and second favourite with William Hill in Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase, following Twist Magic’s impressive performance in the Tingle Creek today.
Dominating the small, yet select field, the seven-year-old relished the change of tactics to storm home by 15-lengths from Forpadydeplaster. Bookmakers William Hill responded by slashing Twist Magic’s odds to 8-1 from 20-1 for the Queen Mother, behind 7-4 favourite Master Minded who received a cut from 9-4.
Big Zeb – weak in the market throughout the morning- finished unplaced and was eased out to 10-1 from 7-2, with Well Chief out to 12-1 from 5-1.
Kate Miller, spokeswoman for William Hill, said: ‘’Most of us forget that Twist Magic is still only seven, and still possesses an immense amount of ability. After beating many of the leading Queen Mother contenders today he fully deserves to be second-favourite, and now presents the greatest danger to his stable-mate Master Minded.’’
Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase: 7-4 Master Minded, 8-1 Twist Magic, 10-1 Big Zeb, Forpadydeplasterer, Kalahari King, 12-1 Well Chief, 16-1 Barker, 25-1 Petit Robin, 33-1 Mahogany Blaze (EW 1/4 1,2,3)