Henderson upbeat over Champion Chase favourite Altior

Trainer Nicky Henderson could learn this weekend if the breathing operation carried out on Altior has been a success.

The Queen Mother Champion Chase favourite has not raced this season after an issue came to light before the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown in December.

Henderson, who has closely monitored Altior’s rehabilitation, said: ‘He will be stepping up this weekend to the point I suspect where I would hear the noise that I heard before. He would not be making a noise with the work he has been doing up until now.’

Trainer Nicky Henderson hopes to have news on sidelined Altior by the weekend

Last season’s Arkle Chase winner is still 5-4 favourite for the Champion Chase.

Henderson is still keen to give him a Festival prep race in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury’s Betfair Super Saturday meeting on February 10.

He said: ‘If he wasn’t quite ready for the Game Spirit I could ask to go there for a racecourse gallop.’

Henderson enjoyed a 1-2 with Whatswrongwithyou and OK Corral in the novice hurdle at Newbury yesterday while his debutant Morning Vicar won the Bumper for a syndicate which includes several of the group which owns his King George winner Might Bite.

Henderson’s novice Brain Power runs in Saturday’s Clarence House Chase at Ascot against dual winner Un De Sceaux.

Last year’s Champion Hurdle eighth has only had two runs over fences and unseated his jockey last time.

Henderson said: ‘I have no pretensions of beating Un De Sceaux but it is the right place to take him to get that jumping experience into him.

‘I want to put him into a race where they will go a good gallop and the one guarantee is Un De Sceaux won’t hang around.’

 

 



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