While this year's Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase looks the proverbial penalty kick for Master Minded, it may be a tad early to start making comparisons with some of the greats.

Paul Nicholls' chaser has so far yet to come up against a worthwhile opponent in the two-mile division, and as a result not had what could be described as a career-defining battle.

Steeplechasing greats are often remembered by a thrilling duel, horse and jockey at one going flat out over the final few fences.

Desert Orchid against Panto Prince in the Victor Chandler Chase, Viking Flagship, Deep Sensation and Travado in the 1994 Queen Mother and the memorable fightback of Edredon Bleu to beat Direct Route and Flagship Uberalles in 2000 all get a reaction from the hairs on your neck.

It is no coincidence that all those races were over two miles and for many the contest named in honour of a racing-loving monarch is the highlight of the four-day Festival.

And we do not need long memories to remember possibly the greatest era of two-mile chasers in history as Moscow Flyer, Azertyuiop and Well Chief did battle on numerous occasions over a three-year period.

All had the ability to be multiple champions in their own right but the fact they kept on bumping into each other meant that was impossible.

Indeed, the injury-prone Well Chief, often seen as the baby of the trio, is about to attempt the impossible and take on Master Minded himself, despite not having run for two years.

More often than not, however, it was Jessica Harrington's Moscow Flyer who came out on top in their epic battles - when he stayed on his feet that is.

At one stage he went a staggering 19 completed races over fences without defeat, interspersed with five early exits, over a five year period.

An Arkle and two Queen Mothers are on a C.V. that also includes two Tingle Creeks, two Melling Chases and plenty of other Graded victories.

Harrington is unperturbed by the fact that Moscow's achievements already seem to have been forgotten in the Master Minded hype.

"That's life. Here today, gone tomorrow," she says.

"I think it helped that he was up against Azertyuiop and Well Chief as they were champions in their own right, they were the best two-milers we've seen until Master Minded came along, in my opinion.

"Master Minded is beating everything very easily and he can only beat what is put in front of him - look, he's a very good horse, make no mistake.

"It's difficult to compare what he is doing now though because, through no fault of his own, he has no real champion to race against at the minute.

"Moscow's record was incredible, he never ran in a handicap, they were all Graded races and he even won the two-and-a-half-mile race at Aintree twice.

"He went over for the Tingle Creek three times and after unseating Barry (Geraghty) in 2002 he won it for the next two years.

"The 2004 Tingle Creek is the race everyone always talks about and I think it was his best ever performance, nobody had any excuses.

"The year before he had beaten Azertyuiop but Paul Nicholls reckoned he wasn't at his best because he hadn't had a prep run, but there were no excuses the year after.

"It was great when Barry looked round, saw both Ruby Walsh and Timmy Murphy sat there, gave him a kick in the belly and off he went, he was an amazing horse.

"What people always forget is that he was also a higher-class hurdler than just about anything that is around at the moment.

"He had the beating of Istabraq in the December Festival Hurdle when Istabraq fell, they met three times and unfortunately one of them fell each time.

"We fell in the AIG in 2001 and Istabraq came down again at Leopardstown later that season. Moscow was also a top-class novice beating Sausalito Bay at Punchestown, who had won the Supreme that year. Everybody forgets that.

"With his mistakes it was probably just a lack of concentration, but that was just him, he very rarely fell - he just got rid of Barry because he was going so fast.

"For me, I love the two-mile chasers, they can't afford to make a mistake and it is always a highlight at Cheltenham."

Geraghty was the only man to win on Moscow Flyer over fences, and while some may have forgotten his achievements, his jockey never will.

"I've plenty of good pictures on my wall to remind me of him, so I won't be forgetting him in a hurry," said Geraghty.

"Master Minded is red-hot at the minute. It's hard to compare horses from different generations but Moscow went four seasons unbeaten in completed races, not many horses can claim that record.

"He was a genuine Grade One hurdler, he was the real deal and we could do with a few more like him.

"You couldn't fault what Master Minded is doing now, I don't know what would be between him and Moscow but I'd say there wouldn't be a great deal.

"I'm sure we'd have a better idea if there was another Azertyuiop or Well Chief around at the minute, then we'd have a better idea.

"The second Tingle Creek I won on him was my favourite memory, it put any excuses the others had to bed. It was the best race I've ridden in and at the time Ruby said the same. He was going on 10 so how good was he as an eight-year-old?"

Moscow Flyer was turned out in dressage competitions after his retirement and he was even top of the class in that sphere.

"I saw him during the summer and he actually won a show class at Fairyhouse," added Geraghty.

"He was always a great looking horse and I walked into a field with probably 300 horses but I picked him out straight away, posing he was."