Damp squib as Altior ruled out
TRAINER Nicky Henderson last night pulled Altior out of the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown as ground conditions deteriorated at the track after significant rain since Thursday.
The dual Champion Chase winner was due to make his seasonal debut in the race he won in 2018.
Last season, Altior was knocked off course after a draining seasonal debut second to Cyrname at Ascot in November and was not able to run again until February.
Henderson said: ‘It is with a heavy heart we have decided that Altior is not going to run. We simply don’t want to bottom him again given what happened last year.
‘Everyone has seen how testing the ground was today and we’re not going to ask him to do it again. We’re very sorry to everyone who was looking forward to seeing him and it was a very tough decision for his owners, the Pughs, but we’ve got to do the best thing by the horse.
‘It’s tough and if there was any further rain forecast, we may have left the decision until the morning, but it will be very holding ground and very hard work.
‘We’ve been talking all night, we started off at 50-50 but we’re not even 90-10 now — he won’t run.
‘Sadly, the horse could not be in better form, so we’ll look at either Kempton or Ascot for him next.’
Altior’s withdrawal leaves Paul Nicholls-trained Politologue, the 2017 winner, the new favourite. He won t he Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March in the absence of Altior, who went lame on the eve of the meeting.
Nicholls, who has won ten Tingle Creek Chases, also runs Haldon Gold Cup hero Greaneteen. ‘ We know Politologue is best fresh, he looks stunning, has had an away day and couldn’t be in better shape,’ he said. ‘The more it rains at Sandown, the more it will suit him.
‘Greaneteen won the Haldon Gold Cup in determined style. He has earned a crack at this Grade One and has come on bundles since Exeter, but he needs to improve.’
There was a mix of owners, annual members and spectators at the track yesterday totalling 1,275 and it is expected Sandown and Aintree will get close to the 2,000 allowed at Tier 2 venues today.