ALTIOR TAKES XMAS OFF

NICKY HENDERSON yesterday admitted that a mere 17-day gap between Saturday’s Tingle Creek and the King George on Boxing Day is the main reason why Altior won’t be stepping up to three miles at Kempton this year.

Altior (left) did exactly what he was entitled to do on official ratings when handing out a four length beating to the ever consistent Un De Sceaux at Sandown, winning in the style of a horse who would stay further.

“I’d love to have a go — and if it was in a month’s time and on decent ground there would not be any doubt we would — but I can’t believe he’s going to come out of yesterday’s race in 17 days’ time not a little bruised,” said Henderson (right).

“We’ve got time on our side. I know we can be accused of wrapping him up in cotton wool, but there’s only one race for him and that’s the Champion Chase. That’s the only thing that matters.” Henderson, who celebrates his 68th birthday today, has trained some of the very best horses over the past 4o years and feels Altior is closing on the summit currently topped by the mighty Sprinter Sacre. “Altior has come on right behind Sprinter Sacre and is getting right up there. They were very big shoes that were going to be very difficult to fill, but he’s sort of stepping towards it.”