ALTIOR DOWN BUT NOT OUT
ALTIOR tasted only his second defeat after 19 successive victories when thumped by Nube Negra at Kempton yesterday, but trainer Nicky Henderson admitted he had not lost faith in his two-mile chaser.
“I’d be very surprised if that’s the end,” said Henderson. “I don’t think you can say that’s the knockout blow.
“I don’t feel as gutted as I did yesterday, funnily enough,” referring to Epatante’s shock defeat in the Christmas Hurdle. “He’s been all but a year off a racecourse.
“We have to mention this ghastly thing about ground again. To be fair he was not taking Nico (de Boinville, his rider) where he wanted to go. He shouldn’t have been beaten at that sort of level.
“That’s not the old Altior. I’m the first to confess ss that. It was hard work. I take plusses out of it. He did finish.
“Jumping-wise he was not electric like he was at home – rusty, yes. We’ve got to see how he comes out of it.”
Henderson (above) is clearly mindful of the hard race Altior suffered when beaten by Cyrname at Ascot last year. “He was unconscious that day,” added Henderson. “It got to the bottom of him, a bit like it did with Sprinter Sacre with his fibrillating heart.
“But we got him back to win another Champion Chase.”
Henderson has not ruled out an attempt to make it three victories in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March for Altior.
If he fails to make the gig, the Lambourn trainer has a young star in Shishkin waiting in the wings, who jumped for fun in the hands of De Boinville when taking the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase yesterday.
The six-year-old is now 4-5 from 5-4 with B Betfair for the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham in March.
Dan Skelton, re responsible for Nub Nube Negra, had no hesitation nominating the Queen Mother Champion Chase for his progressive runner.
“You cannot detract from what he’s done today,” said Skelton.
Skelton and his brother Harry also enjoyed success with Molly Ollys Wishes and Cadzand.