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Ryanair Chase for the second year running and could now head again to Aintree in an attempt to repeat last year’s festival double, writes Elliot Slater.

Albertas Run
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When the Jonjo O’Neill-trained 10-year-old sustained a horrendous fall at Ascot in November, a tragedy for Irish racing, whilst still upsides Master Minded in the 1965 Amblin Chase, (the first and only fall of his 31 race career), there were a horrible few moments when the thought crossed the collective mind of many race goers that the popular Accordion gelding might not get back to his feet. He did though, although he was reportedly very shaken by the experience.

In hindsight, he probably hadn’t fully recovered when asked to tackle Kauto Star and Long Run in the 2008 RSA Chase. The plan appears once again to be to head to Aintree in three weeks time for the Grade 1 John Smith’s Melling Chase, a race in which he beat Forpadydeplasterer last term by over three-lengths.