Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SUNDAY SERVICE
Newbury prepare to switch but Altior’s return in doubt
NEWBURY will stage Betfair Super Saturday on Sunday week if, as expected, the frostbound Berkshire course fails an inspection at 8.30am today — but Altior could miss out.
Nicky Henderson’s star was being aimed at a fourth success in the Betfair Cheltenham Free Bet Pot Builder Chase — better known as the Game Spirit Chase — before seeking a third victory in Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.
But the revised slot, just 24 days before the Festival’s Wednesday feature, is giving the Seven Barrows trainer cause for concern.
“This is relevant to the reduced time gap between the two races,” explained Henderson.
“As far as Altior is concerned, I need to discuss further with [owners] Patricia and Christopher Pugh to sum up the pros and cons of a race at this stage, particularly with a view to the going we might encounter on Sunday week.
But Altior’s stablemate Champ (left), unraced since his last-gasp triumph in the three-mile Festival Novices’ Chase last March, will make his intended return to action in the Denman Chase.
The JP Mcmanusowned nine-year-old is a 12-1 chance for the Wellchild Cheltenham Gold Cup, and Henderson added: “He is coming off a longer lay off and it is more important that he has a race prior to the Gold Cup — it’s only two days short of a month between the two.”
YESTERDAY’S meeting in Thurles was cancelled shortly before midday yesterday (less than two hours before the scheduled off-time of the first race) due to a covering of snow.
The track had passed a 7.30am inspection and was again deemed “fit for racing” at 11.00am before the arrival of heavy snow.
The fixture has been rescheduled for Monday, February 15.
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