Brave Chief’s well set to win big Tingle Creek showdown

The jockey faced an agonising decision as he had partnered Forpadydeplasterer to victory in the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.

But in choosing the Colm Murphy-trained Big Zeb, Geraghty feels that he has a major chance of landing the two-mile Grade One event, in which he will face just four rivals.

"It was a very tricky decision between the two horses," said Geraghty. "The ground was the deciding factor, however. Forpadydeplasterer's best form is on good ground and he has been beaten each time he's run on soft."

There were many who felt that Big Zeb would have beaten the brilliant Master Minded in the Kerrygold Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival last April had his jumping not let him down.

He returned to action last month with a more assured fencing display when winning at Navan, yet there is a slight doubt in the Irish jockey's mind about how the eight-year-old will handle the track.

Geraghty said: "The railway fences come very quickly at you and you don't have much time to get organised. I'm not worried about the pace, I just hope I can get him racing in a nice rhythm."

Paul Nicholls relies on Twist Magic, who won the Tingle Creek Chase two years ago and is aiming to give the champion trainer a big-race victory on three successive Saturdays, following the wins of stable stars Kauto Star in the Betfair Chase at Haydock and Denman in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

But if Big Zeb is to be upstaged in tomorrow's valuable showdown, then the evergreen Well Chief is the one who has the credentials to do it and grab glory.

Trained by David Pipe, the 10-year-old has won seven of his 15 chase starts and finished out of the first three just twice, despite suffering numerous injury problems which have restricted him to just one run in the previous 30 months.

His biggest wins have included the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, the Victor Chandler Chase and Sandown's Celebration Chase before problems with his fragile legs took hold. Pipe, who has described Well Chief as the best horse he has ever trained, has worked his magic on the gelding since he looked better than ever when defeating Mahogany Blaze - who reopposes tomorrow - and Master Minded on his return to action in the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham last month.

Well Chief, who is ridden by Timmy Murphy, also gets the soft ground that he relishes and has won over the course at this distance.