Racing/Champion Chase preview: Rarely does reality match anticipation, but if by some chance today's Queen Mother Champion Chase does turn into the sort of race so many people think it will, then we're in for a rare treat.

The triumvirate of Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop and Well Chief constitute a bank of talent rarely seen before in the two-mile division, and they have it in them to provide one of the great races.

Considering this famous course has witnessed the likes of Monksfield versus Sea Pigeon, and Arkle against Mill House, that is a considerable proposition.

But then we're talking about considerable ability.

In the midst of all the pre-festival hoopla it has almost gone overlooked that Azertyuiop is, after all, the reigning champion, having taken full advantage of Moscow Flyer's dramatic exit last year.

Then there is Well Chief, who completely fits the "improver" role so beloved of many shrewd Cheltenham veterans. The Martin Pipe-trained horse is only six, but already has an Arkle under his belt and put in the sort of weight-carrying performance in the Victor Chandler here in January that automatically made him a pin-up of the ratings brigade.

Yesterday there was no shortage of confidence in either the Pipe or Nicholls camps, with the Azertyuiop team in particular pledging to use their ultra-professional star a lot more than in some previous encounters with Moscow Flyer.

For a horse that managed to reach the frame in the King George last December, such a move would seem only natural, and it would at least spare Ruby Walsh from some of the flak he got at Sandown in December for being too confident and allowing Moscow Flyer a solo in front.

Tactically, there are unlikely to be any such surprises from Well Chief, whose stalking style served him particularly well against Kicking King in last season's Arkle and whose potent late kick makes him an ideal partner for Timmy Murphy.

The connections of both horses are perfectly entitled to fancy their chances, because both Azertyuiop and Well Chief tick off most of the boxes that need to be filled by potential Champion Chase winners.

Azertyuiop looks to hold an edge on Well Chief on Game Spirit-running at Newbury, but he got quite a hard race to do it and there is little doubt that Cheltenham does bring out the best in the Pipe horse.

But when it all boils down, and all the talk has been exhausted, this potential epic really boils down to one question: is Moscow Flyer still as good as he looked when beating both of his big rivals in the Tingle Creek over three months ago?

If the answer is yes, then there is little other option from a punting point of view. Barry Geraghty is convinced that length-and-a-half defeat of Azertyuiop, with Well Chief just a short head further back, is the best that the Irish star has ever performed. He will need to be in the same sort of form again, but Jessica Harrington is happy that he is.

That is the most intimidating thought for his rivals.

Moscow Flyer is now 11, almost twice the age of Well Chief, but there appears to be no lessening of that famous power that has already yielded the 2003 Champion Chase and the 2002 Arkle here.

The winner of all 17 steeplechases that he has completed, the hope for the opposition will be that he has failed to complete five others, including last season. But that came on the back of no run since Christmas and it was noticeable even in the parade ring beforehand that Moscow Flyer looked very buzzy and almost too fresh.

A typically casual run at Punchestown at the end of January means that is not a problem this time. What will be a huge problem is overcoming this outstanding opposition.

But Moscow Flyer looks up to it.

CHAMPION CHASE FORECAST

1, MOSCOW FLYER

2, WILD CHIEF

3, AZERTYUIOP