Johnson backs Chief

CHAMPION owner David Johnson believes his Well Chief is “the one to beat” in the major two-mile chases this season.

The six-year-old was runner-up to Moscow Flyer in the Queen Mother Champion Chase last spring before ending the campaign by beating a previous winner of the Cheltenham showpiece, Azertyuiop, at Sandown in April.

With Azertyuiop out for the season and Moscow Flyer being 12 years old come Cheltenham in March, Johnson has every reason to be optimistic about the 2004 Arkle Trophy winner, trained by Martin Pipe, taking the top two-mile prize.