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Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
“title =” Black Cloud (Harry Skelton) takes Altior over the penultimate fence in Desert Orchid “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images / news /2020/12/27/86594-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/12/27/86594-medium.jpeg “data- br-m = “https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/12/27/86594-large.jpeg” data-br-w = “https: //www.rp- assets. com / images / news / 2020/12/27/86594-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/12/27/86594 -large .jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
By Stuart Riley
It may not have been what he or we expected, but Nicky Henderson is still not losing faith in Altior.
For a long time, the two-time Champion Chase winner was unbeatable, but now he’s lost two of his last three and you have to go back 20 months for his last Grade 1 win. But from what Henderson knows, the Altior of yore is He would have eaten his Desert Orchid Chase rivals for breakfast, and has no excuse to offer other than that the terrain was softer than ideal, he was convinced retirement was not being considered.
2.30 Kempton: complete result and replay of the race
“Let’s not rule out poor Altior just yet, because I don’t think he’s close to ruling out,” he said defiantly after the nearly 11-year-old was beaten in second place 20-1 by a shot from Black Cloud, rated 20 pounds lower. to official brands.
“We sat through these sessions with Sprinter [Sacre] But look what he gave us in the end: two days that none of us will ever forget.
“If I had withdrawn it, we wouldn’t have had that emotional rollercoaster of those last two days at Cheltenham – they were two of the best races we’ll ever see, so thank God we persevered.
“I’m not going to ask Altior to do it at 12, if he hasn’t gotten over that by then we’ll have to give thanks and live off the memories, but I don’t think we should rule it out just because he met defeat a second time in his life “.
Altior, the favorite of the sent off pairs, was beaten in three and a half lengths by Black Cloud, trained by Dan Skelton, with Duc Des Genievres in four lengths and three quarters in third place.
Reflecting on the result, Henderson added: “I should have been beating those horses, yes, and two years ago it would have been a formality, but if I had passed Duc Des Genievres and won by five lengths, I would have thought ‘That was good. But what was the other horse doing there? If you draw the winner, we would be saying forward and up.
“It’s been almost a year out of the racetrack and one has to mention this hideous thing on the ground again, but IShe does not help her. To be fair he never took Nico [de Boinville] where he wanted to go and shouldn’t be hit at that level. That’s not the old Altior, I’m the first to confess. “
Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
“title =” Black Cloud (Harry Skelton) leads Duc Des Genievres and Altior to the last fence “class =” js-imageLoader “data-at-xn =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/ news /2020/12/27/86595-medium.jpeg “data-br-n =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/12/27/86595-medium.jpeg “data – br-m = “https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/12/27/86595-large.jpeg” data-br-w = “https: //www.rp-assets . com / images / news / 2020/12/27/86595-large.jpeg “data-br-xw =” https://www.rp-assets.com/images/news/2020/12/27/86595-large .jpeg “onclick =” return false; “>
Unbeatable during his first four jumping seasons, Altior ended his 19-race undefeated streak with Cyrname at Ascot last year and Henderson is still not convinced that his horse actually finished that day.
He added: “I came back to Ascot last year, I was almost unconscious at the end of that. That was a race that came too early in the season for us and I don’t think it was going to help him.
“Talking to Simon Knapp and Clive Hamblin [both vets], who came in behind him that day, feared for him. We got to the bottom, we emptied the bucket that day and the referee was about to discard it. Whether that has left a scar on you, it’s about getting your confidence back now.
“He came back and won the Game Spirit and we were very happy in the lead up to Cheltenham, but I’m the first to admit that he hasn’t been galloping all over the place this time. It’s not until you turn him into a fence, then take off and you know it should be fine, it’s still all there. “
Altior was pushed to 12-1 for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and Henderson wants to see improvement if he wants to get there.
“We don’t have much time at the moment, he has to get back to racing if he wants to get to Cheltenham,” he said. “He’ll have to go back and do something in the Spirit of the Game. I was thinking that would be good for Shishkin, but he might need it for Altior.”
Reports and reaction on Sunday:
‘It’s getting beyond ridiculous’ – Willie Mullins hits over the skipped fences
Sunday reaction: ‘It was obvious I wasn’t traveling like the force of yesteryear’
Members Club: ‘One Player Back and forth at 20-1’: Expert Opinions on a Wide Open Champion Chase Market
Man with a plan: Dan Skelton takes another big step forward with Black Cloud
Nico de Boinville praises Shishkin ‘insanely fast’ after Wayward Lad’s win
Appreciate It, Supreme’s new favorite after running to Mullins and Townend
Kim Bailey delighted with the ‘extraordinary’ First Flow does it five in a row
Mullins-trained Castlebawn West posts ‘great performance’ on Paddy Power Chase
Oliver Stammers delighted with ‘fantastic’ 2020 as the best season continues
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FIRST POST 2:45 PM, DECEMBER 27, 2020
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