LAME ALTIOR FACES TEST

ALTIOR has a foot infection and is a doubt for tomorrow’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

But Nicky Henderson, who revealed his eight-year-old — unbeaten in 12 starts over obstacles — to be suffering from lameness is confident Altior will make the line-up for feature.

“Altior was unfortunately lame this morning in his nearforeleg and we have located some pus in the frog of his foot,” said the Seven Barrows trainer yesterday.

“He was still able to exercise in the water treadmill this morning, which he regularly does anyway, and a poultice will now be applied and left on overnight to draw out the pus.

“The foot will also be tubbed (stood in salt water) at regular intervals and the shoe will hopefully be replaced first thing tomorrow morning.

“Both our vet and farrier are working very hard and are more than hopeful that he will even be able to canter tomorrow and therefore confident he will be clear to race on Wednesday.” Henderson also reported that We Have A Dream was an unlikely runner in Friday’s Triumph Hurdle.

“He didn’t eat up last night, which is extremely unlike him,” the trainer said. After news of the scare broke, William Hill pushed out Altior (above), whose return to action this winter was delayed by a breathing operation, to evens (from 8-11) for the two-mile chase crown. Nine runners have been declared for the Betway sponsored race, including the Rich Ricci-owned pair Douvan and Min.

Ricci had on Sunday raised the possibility Douvan (left), unraced since his defeat as the 2-9 hotpot for last year’s Champion Chase, could be re-routed to clash with his Willie Mullins stablemate in Thursday’s Ryanair Chase.

But the American said: “The combination of the ground conditions, and Ruby [Walsh] saying he wanted to ride Douvan, has meant we’re going to stick to the two-mile route.”

The four-day Festival will start on ground officially described as heavy, soft in places.