Altior: Decision still to be made

NICKY Henderson is “not going to promise” Altior will take up his entry in the Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

The superstar chaser has not been seen in competitive action so far this season.

A well-publicised breathing operation ruled him out of an intended return in the Tingle Creek at Sandown in December.

Henderson has been thrilled with how his charge has performed since returning to full work.

However, speaking at an event yesterday to promote the Betfair ‘Super Saturday’ fixture, the trainer stopped short of committing to a weekend comeback. He has still to make up his mind about that.

He said: “I think he is going to go but I am not going to promise.

“I did want to get another school into him. He schooled last week and he was fantastic — but he was nearly too fantastic. He would want to do it again to take that freshness out of him. He was so fresh that he wanted to murder them.

“He went 10 furlongs this morning on the grass and he was in great form.”

Henderson admitted he would prefer a little more time to prepare his eight-yearold but is keen to give him a run before the Queen Mother Champion Chase in just five weeks’ time.

Altior is as short as even-money to clinch the two-mile chasing crown and claim a third Cheltenham Festival success following his previous triumphs in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Arkle Trophy.

“I’d buy another week with him,” Henderson added.

“The only danger is, because he is so talented, the work is too easy for him.

“We are lucky we have got so many good horses but he can chew them up a bit.

“I’d like to get a race into him. If he gets beaten, he gets beaten. He is going to get beaten one day. You have got to hope he doesn’t but you have got to look at it like that.

“His jumping is fantastic, his work is fantastic. All in all he is just in great form, he really is.”

Trainer Nicky Henderson gives Altior a friendly pat at his yard yesterday.