Zeb set for Master rematch

Colm Murphy is lining up Big Zeb for a mouth-watering clash with Master Minded in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on December 5.

The classy eight-year-old was narrowly denied by Paul Nicholls’ dual Queen Mother Champion Chase hero at the Punchestown Festival, when a mistake at the last almost certainly cost him a notable scalp.

Big Zeb barely came off the bridle when landing the Fortria Chase on his seasonal bow at Navan earlier this month and with conditions across Ireland testing at present, Murphy is keen to seek out better ground at Sandown.

“Thankfully we’ve been very lucky but there are other parts of Ireland that have really suffered. Our gallops have been grand enough though and we’ve been able to keep them going,” he said.

“Touch wood, Big Zeb is good, he’s very good and I think we’ll go to Sandown. It was a pity we lost to Master Minded at Punchestown but not to worry. With the way the ground is over here at the minute, the John Durkan is not really an option – especially over two and a half miles – so Sandown is looking the obvious one.”