INJURY-plagued Well Chief received a hero’s welcome after defying his advancing years to lower the colours of Master Minded in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham.

Although the inaugural running of the two-mile test appeared to be a match on paper, the big guns were split by Mahogany Blaze as Master Minded finished out of the front two for the first time in a completed chase in Britain.

Paul Nicholls had warned the dual Champion Chase winner would benefit from the outing and the writing was on the wall for the 4-7 favourite as Timmy Murphy produced the David Pipe-trained Well Chief to lead over the third-last.

Master Minded had hung right throughout under Ruby Walsh and wilted on the run-in to finish nearly three lengths adrift of Mahogany Blaze, who was in turn a length and a quarter back from 11-4 second-favourite Well Chief.

William Hill pushed Master Minded right out to 7-4 for next year’s Queen Mother while offering Well Chief at 7-1. Nicholls said: “For some reason he was just hanging right-handed and we will have to find out why.

“Funnily enough after he won at Sandown a long time ago Ruby said he wanted to go right-handed and wouldn’t be suited by Cheltenham, but we got over that. He has needed the run today, he’s having a blow, and he won’t have to give 10lb away again.

“We’ll have to see what happens in the Tingle Creek, but the concern is his hanging right-handed.”

Pipe said: “It is very special and it was very special to see the reception the crowd gave him.

“We’ll get him back to Pond House and hope his legs are okay and then look at the Tingle Creek.”