An excellent case in point is the steeplechaser, Well Chief, whom it is claimed has returned home to David Pipe’s stables in reasonable shape after his recent victory at Cheltenham.

Nothing can be taken for granted with the gelding, who has had a million problems with his legs and was having just his second start in more than two-and-a-half years in the Connaught Chase.

However, the racing public remain really fond of Well Chief, and as jockey Timmy Murphy returned to the winner’s enclosure after his defeat of Mahogany Blaze and dual Champion Chase hero Master Minded, he was given a great reception.

“Timmy looked after him and he travelled extremely well. He’s now 10, but he’s still not got many miles on the clock,” said Pipe.

“I wasn’t quite sure he was going to keep going as well as he did, but he’ll improve for the run. It’s a privilege to train him. We’ve nurtured him back and he looks as good as ever. Touch wood, he seems well.

“He had a cut on the inside of one of his front legs, but the vets at Cheltenham did a good job looking after that. The early signs are good.”

Pipe will now consider the Tingle Creek Chase at San­down next month. “I would have thought that is the obvious next stop,” he said. “We’ll see how he is, but that would be the obvious next race for him.

“I’d imagine he’d have one or two more races before the Cheltenham Festival in March.”

The next big race meeting after the Festival is Aintree’s Grand National fixture, but trainer Ferdy Murphy believes next year’s race is a couple of years too early for his promis­ing young staying chaser Galant Nuit.

The five-year-old was quoted with several book-makers at 25-1 for the Aintree marathon following his victory in the Servo Trophy at Cheltenham at the weekend.

However, Murphy will not rush the ex-French gelding into tackling the world’s most famous steeplechase. “That would be two or three years down the road, I would think,” said Murphy.

“He does jump fantastic, but with the high-class horses that are in the National these days, you do need everything to go your way. We’ll mind him and look after him and the National will be further down the line.”

Murphy will give Galant Nuit a break before aiming him at the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February. “We’ll let him chip away for two or three weeks, we’ll assess it then and see how he is,” said the trainer.

“My gut feeling after the race on Saturday was for a five-year-old, over that trip, we’re probably better off waiting and give him a bit of space between races as he does pull out well fresh.

“Last season we ran him at Cheltenham in January then he didn’t run until Aintree in May, he was second there and ran a real good race.

“The horse doesn’t take that much to get ready so we’ll probably wait for the Eider. That was my initial feeling and we’ll probably stick to that.”

Looking to this weekend, Kauto Star heads 13 horses standing their ground at the confirmation stage for Saturday’s Betfair Chase at Haydock. The dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner took this prize in 2006 and 2007, but unseated Sam Thomas at the last going for the hat trick.