History To Be Made As Altior Sets Up Treble Challenge

CHELTENHAM, UK—Nicky Henderson inched a step closer to collecting an unprecedented triple crown of Cheltenham championship races when Patricia Pugh's Altior (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) continued his unbeaten run over fences with a seven-length triumph in the G1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. With Buveur d'Air (Fr) having already delivered in Tuesday's G1 Unibet Champion Hurdle, the Festival's all-time leading trainer also has the co-favourite for tomorrow's G1 Timico Gold Cup in Might Bite (Ire).

While the latter's talent is peppered with bouts of unpredictability, Altior's calling card is sheer ability. The discovery of a foot abscess on Monday threw the 8-year-old's challenge into temporary doubt and even once the Champion Chase was underway and Altior had been sent off as evens-favourite, he appeared not to be travelling with his usual pazzazz as he tucked in behind the changing early leaders which included Special Tiara (GB), Politologue (Fr) and the luckless Douvan (Fr), who fell four fences out.

But one thing that has never been in doubt is that Altior is a jumper of rare quality, and one who has already proved that he's more than equal to the challenges of Prestbury Park. When asked to go on and seal his third consecutive victory at the Festival, he made a decisive surge between the final two fences, seeing off a determined challenge from the Willie Mullins-trained Min (Fr), to land over the last in front and increase his advantage with every stride up the hilly home straight.

“To find those gears in that ground off that pace, you have to be pretty good. It was a great race on paper. We've been lucky enough to be down this road many times and it's 90% relief and 10% joy,” said Henderson, who has won four Champion Chases in the last seven years with three different horses.

Following the second success of Henderson's outstanding champion chaser Sprinter Sacre (Fr) in 2016, Altior's win was another important marker on the ever-improving CV of his cool-headed rider Nico de Boinville. In inheriting the coveted position of stable jockey at Henderson's Seven Barrows stable after Barry Geraghty was retained by owner JP McManus, the 28-year-old has barely faltered when given plenty of chances to repay his boss's faith in him.

“Nico was great because they were going a good gallop and he kept calm,” Henderson added. “To watch the horse do that—he was electric. In behind he wasn't doing that much, but getting lots of cover and getting a very cool ride. For a second he looked in trouble and I thought 'This isn't going to happen', but as soon as he saw daylight he knew where he was going.”

He continued, “It's strange that Altior has come around so soon after Sprinter Sacre. This horse is very, very good, and I always said he had very big shoes to fill, but each time he wins he gets closer to doing that. We will never forget Sprinter, who tugged at heartstrings in a way this horse might never do, but if he wins again he might. Sprinter was such a show-off and a swank, and he won this race by a distance, although I'm not sure he beat horses as good as the runners in today's race.”

De Boinville, who will also partner Might Bite in the Gold Cup, was reluctant to compare Sprinter Sacre and Altior, pointing to the latter's killer finishing kick as his real strength. He said, “You can afford to hold on a bit longer with him. But I just love the way he goes straight to the line there. It's quite hard to peg them back in ground like this but with his turn of foot, he's done it like a hot knife through butter.

“That was a sensational performance. I was in serious trouble the whole way round. He was hating the ground. This ground would be the worst he has ever had, it is dead and tacky. They've gone a true gallop and it was a true test. His jumping kept him in the race and I know that he has those gears at the end of a race.”

With High Chaparral siring the feature race winner, it was a day to look to Epsom for a guide to Cheltenham success. No fewer than three Derby heroes were responsible for winners on the day—all three of them multiple Festival winners—with Presenting Percy (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) following up his Pertemps Final victory 12 months ago with his first top-flight win in the G1 RSA Novices' Chase and Tiger Roll (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) displaying admirable versatility with an enjoyable romp around the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase. He first won the G1 JCB Triumph Hurdle over two miles four years ago and then last year claimed the four-mile National Hunt Chase.

Presenting Percy, ridden to glory by Davy Russell, has been a terrific advertisement for the skills of Galway-based Patrick Kelly. From limited ammunition the trainer has claimed a trophy at the last three Cheltenham Festivals with the 7-year-old and his stablemate Mall Dini (Ire), who is also owned by Philip Reynolds and is set to run in today's Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup.

“Pat Kelly is an absolute genius,” said the delighted owner. “Davy Russell had a very, very hard decision to make. He could have ridden Monalee (Ire) and the two of them were lying up upside each other coming to the last. I owe my life to those two guys and it's fantastic.”

Reynolds can perhaps look forward to another return visit as Presenting Percy is now as short as 8/1 for next year's Gold Cup.

The winner was congratulated in the enclosure by his proud breeder Johnny Weatherby, who is awaiting another Sir Percy foal from Presenting Percy's dam Hunca Munca (Ire) (Presenting {GB}).

“Kelly Morgan, who manages the stud for me, was a bit nervous about coming today as she should foal any day now. That was fantastic,” he said.

A first-day treble augmented by a Wednesday double means that Willie Mullins is still out in front at this year's Festival, and his dominance was exemplified by him saddling the first three home in the G1 Weatherbys Champion Bumper—not including his favourite Blackbow (GB)—which was won by 25/1 shot Relegate (Ire) (Flemensfirth). But his main rival for the Irish trainers' championship, Gordon Elliott, also played a strong hand on Wednesday, with Tiger Roll's win coming between an impressive opening victory for fellow Gigginstown House Stud colour-bearer Samcro (Ire) (Germany) in the G1 Ballymore Novices' Hurdle and followed up by Veneer Of Charm (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the G3 Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

One man's luck often comes on the back of another's bad luck and for Mark Walsh, who rode his first Festival winner for Willie Mullins on Berry Bleu (Fr) (Special Kaldoun {Ire} in the G3 Coral Cup, it was at the expense of Paul Townend, who had been booked for the ride only to be switched to better-fancied stablemate Max Dynamite (Fr), who started favourite and finished last.

The last-minute change of riders came about after Ruby Walsh took a crashing last-fence fall from Al Boum Photo (Fr) in the RSA Novices' Chase. The jockey, who was taken to the Royal Gloucester hospital for x-rays, has aggravated a recently healed broken leg which was originally sustained in a fall last autumn. Having been the leading rider at Cheltenham for nine of the last ten years, he returned to race-riding last week and won two races on the opening day of the Festival.

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL THROWDOWN

The Cheltenham Festival may provide the highlight of British National Hunt racing season, but a major part of the thrill involved has traditionally been the rivalry between the home team and raiders from across the Irish Sea. The influx of French-bred jumpers to both Britain and Ireland, particularly over the last decade, has meant that the competition is now fierce between all three nations. National honour is at stake, and that rivalry filters through to the desks of the TDN offices. This week, our correspondents from Britain, Ireland and France–all three passionate jumping fans and small National Hunt breeders–will take each other on in a daily tipping contest. Here are their selections for day three.

Emma Berry – Britain

In just nine starts, SAM SPINNER (GB) has never finished out of the first two and, though relatively inexperienced, I'm expecting him to continue on his swift upward trajectory with victory in the G1 Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle despite being up against one of the most competitive fields in recent years. The son of Black Sam Bellamy could face the stiffest challenge from Supasundae (GB), by his sire's full-brother Galileo (Ire).

I'm a big fan of trainer Fergal O'Brien, whose enthusiasm for the game is infectious, and I've enjoyed following his game mare CAP SOLEIL (FR), who has been admirably consistent in her short career to date and has an excellent chance in the G2 Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle. She's been off the track since winning a listed hurdle just before Christmas so comes here fresh with solid soft-ground form.

Following the good riders is key to success in the amateurs' events, and any horse ridden by Jamie Codd or Derek O'Connor is always given close scrutiny. In the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup, Codd rides favourite Squouateur (Fr), while O'Connor is on the JP McManus second string, Pendra (GB). My each-way selection is AUBUSSON (FR), trained by Nick Williams and ridden by his son Chester, who, like his elder half-sister Lizzie Kelly, looks to be a young jockey to follow. Runner-up in his last two starts, Aubusson should cope with both the trip and the soft ground and has a chance to add to a memorable week for the Williams family after the success of Coo Star Sivola (Fr) on Tuesday.

Daithi Harvey – Ireland

I'll try to get the day off to a flyer and go for INVITATION ONLY (IRE) in the first race, the G1 JLT Novices' Chase. This year's crop of Irish novice chasers seem high class and I'm happy to put my trust in this uncomplicated sort to continue the good work for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh

The dogs have been barking about Laurina (Fr) in the G2 Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Hurdle for a good while now and as a result she will probably go off at prohibitive odds, so for that reason I will side with MARIA'S BENEFIT (IRE) instead. She is a prolific winner who is actually rated higher than the favourite so I will take a chance that the handicapper has got this right, though I suspect Willie Mullins may again have the final say.

I like the look of the Paul Nicholls-trained MOVEWITHTHETIMES (IRE) in the G3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Festival Plate, despite the fact he has yet to win over fences. A novice won this race last year and with three runs over fences already at Cheltenham I think that track experience should stand him in good stead. He finished just behind Tuesday's winner Coo Star Sivola (Fr) on his last run there and while his jumping could be smartened up he is Barry Geraghty's pick of the JP McManus runners and I think he will go close.

Emmanuel Roussel – France

I read on Twitter that people argue about the nationality of the horses competing at Cheltenham. I have had this issue for ages myself and as far as I can see, what allows one to say that a certain horse is British, for instance, is the place where it is trained, even if the horse was born in France, is owned by an Irishman and ridden by a Czech. That's fine, but that doesn't bar me from having a soft spot for a horse whose breeder is a close friend of mine, whose dam I have seen chasing at Auteuil, or even because its name sounds Gallic. However, I will try to stick to French-breds, even though most are no longer trained in France. TERREFORT (FR), for instance, was bred in France and started his career there with Guillaume Macaire, whose yard is the Amazon of French jumping stables. Out of the very good mare Vie De Reine (Fr), he has won both his races in Britain, a Grade 1 at Sandown last time beating a subsequent Kempton winner, and is now going for the G1 JLT Novices' Chase. French imports are well respected in novice chases and Nicky Henderson, who is definitely English, knows that better than anyone.

ROMAIN DE SENAM (FR) looks like everything is falling into place at the right time. He was dropped 3lbs in the ratings after two fifth-place finishes at Cheltenham, won at Chepstow before and has done well at Prestbury Park in the past. I won't be surprised to see him run very well in the G3 Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate.

In the G2 Trull House Stud Mares' Novices' Chase, Laurina (Fr) could be anything but her price is far too short for me. I'd rather side with CAP SOLEIL (FR), who hasn't done anything wrong and is probably able to seize her day if the favourites fail to sparkle as much as anticipated. And that happens at the Festival, doesn't it?