Classy Altior shows he’s a true Champion
COURAGE and class make a great racehorse — and Altior produced a performance of true grit to retain his Betway Champion Chase crown.
The nine-year-old’s status as the 4-11 favourite suggested a fourth successive triumph at the Cheltenham Festival – and an 18th victory from 18 attempts over obstacles to equal Big Buck’s record – was a mere formality.
But an out-of-character mistake at the water jump drew a gasp from the near-59,000 crowd and, when Nico de Boinville’s mount surrendered the lead to Sceau Royal at the final fence, the unthinkable appeared a reality.
The climb to Cheltenham’s winning post defines champions, however, and Altior answered his jockey’s calls to quell Sceau Royal and then fend off Politologue to score by a length and three-quarters and match the unbeaten sequence set by Paul Nicholls’ star hurdler in December 2012.
“It’s like hitting your head against a brick wall,” said Henderson (right). “The only nice bit is when it stops.
“He’s a hugely talented horse, but he’s a very brave one as well.
“He got headed – that’s not the first time he’s looked vulnerable – but he knew what he had to do. He just put his head down and said, ‘I’m the best.’
“And he is. It was a cracking good race for everybody else – for me it was hell!”
Henderson saddled Sprinter Sacre to a 19-length supremacy in 2013 and the ‘big black aeroplane’ – who returned from a heart problem to recapture his title three years later – paraded before the Wednesday card began.
“To have had two horses consecutively come into your life like these two – we’re very, very lucky people,” admitted the trainer. De Boinville, on board for the second of his Champion chase victories, admitted: “It’s like he doesn’t know how to lose.” Altior is likely to round off the campaign at Sandown next month before connections consider a step up from two miles. Betfair quote 3-1 about success in the three-mile King George at Kempton on Boxing Day, and Henderson added: “We will give it serious consideration.”