The Nicky Henderson-trained Altior evoked memories of the Lambourn handler’s former superstar Sprinter Sacre with a magnificent display in the Grade Two Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.
Ridden by Nico De Boinville, the heavily-backed 1/3 favourite jumped well throughout the two-mile contest and showed a blistering turn of foot in the home straight to pull well clear of his rivals and register a 13-length success from Fox Norton in second and Dodging Bullets a further five-lengths back in third.
Altior was far superior to his rivals and travelled beautifully throughout the race and despite being a novice up against more experienced rivals, the six-year-old was impressive at his fences, putting in some superb leaps throughout the race and quickening away impressively under De Boinville.
Altior is now a general 1/4 shot from 1/2 for the Grade One Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival next month. A potential clash with Willie Mullins’ superstar Douvan in the Queen Mother Champion Chase however does not seem likely.
Henderson said: “That was great. I was very nervous about the ground. We tried to keep him out of it like we tried to protect Sprinter Sacre in those days.
“We’ll try to win the Arkle first. He’s been on exactly the same route. It’s the way we came in with Sprinter as a novice. OK, we’ve got this far now.
“The thing we all miss this year is Sprinter not being able to have a game with Douvan. If everything goes right and we’re all here in a year’s time, maybe Altior and Douvan can meet then. It would be great.”
De Boinville said: “I’ve just got to say a big thank you to the Pughs (owners) and the guv’nor (Henderson). He’s stuck by me.
“Altior is quite a star. Just to ride a smashing horse like this is quite something
“Everybody is going to ask me to compare him with Sprinter Sacre, but I’m just going to enjoy them in their own right. He’s pretty electric.”
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