ALTIOR BACK AT NEWBURY
RESULTS & PRICES
November and has now returned to fitness.
Gordon Elliott, the gelding’s trainer, said: “He did his first bit of work on Saturday after his setback and worked well.
“He won’t be as fit as he was last year and will come on a lot for the run.”
BASKING under two heat lamps in his stable, Altior yesterday looked a picture of health for his return in Saturday’s Betfair Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
“All is good with him,” said Nicky Henderson, right, the gelding’s trainer. “My only concern would be heavy ground – that would be a worry.
“But we have to run. You can go back to the year he had his wind operation (2018), and we came back for this race.
“I had a sleepless night. I hummed and aahed about running. But he will run on Saturday.”
After Altior’s winning sequence of 19 victories was punctured by Cyrname at Ascot in November, his return to the track has been dogged by controversy.
The BHA investigated betting moves concerning a stable companion and the horse’s fitness.
Henderson was at pains to point out he has lost races this season in his desire to explore new avenues for Altior over a longer trip. “So, he’s a boring two-mile chaser,” said Henderson. “I admit we weren’t prepared when we went up five furlongs at Ascot. I admit it was my mistake.”
Henderson hopes Altior can make it a hat-trick of wins at Newbury, before adding a third Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
He is also after a record sixth success in the Betfair Hurdle at the Berkshire track where he runs Mill Green and Never Adapt.
“We have now managed to get Never Adapt to settle. She was pretty good at Kempton the other day,” Henderson said. “Mill Green won well at Sandown. He would come into it.”
WITH leading players in both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle, Nicky Henderson believes both races are wide open.
“In the Cheltenham Gold Cup there’s no standout horse,” said Henderson. “Al Boum Photo holds the crown, so he’s the one they all have to beat.”
Henderson will be represented by Santini in the Gold Cup.
He is also responsible for Epatante, the market leader for the Champion Hurdle.
“I thought Honeysuckle (winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle) is going the right way,” said Henderson.
“I expect to have quite a lot of runners in the Champion.”