Nicky Henderson’s Altior made it 17 from 17 over obstacles while winning the Clarence House Chase at Ascot in characteristically facile fashion this afternoon on what will be his last appearance before the 2019 Cheltenham Festival.
Only two went to post alongside the champion but neither Diego Du Charmil nor Fox Norton, returning from a break, were able to lay a glove on Altior as he took up the running and, while not looking entirely comfortable with that at times, was able to take care of the task.
De Boinville sent him forward to take care of matters from six out and he managed to do that relatively comfortably, although the champion chaser did jump markedly to his left throughout and increasingly as the race went on, something which Henderson did not seem unduly concerned with when speaking to ITV after the race.
“It’s not his natural trait to do that… he’ll be left-handed next time anyway,” he said.
Next time, of course, will be his defence of his title at the Cheltenham Festival. Altior’s handler wasn’t concerned, either, with his charge getting a bit lonely out in front at times.
“That was great. He’s had a nice time, he’s jumped well. He’s had to go and do his own thing in front, we knew he’d have to make the running. Oh I mean if something came to him... I think he was just idling as much as anything.”
The nature of the race in recent years, with small fields and long odds-on favs going in, had led to calls from many corners for the race to be reverted to handicap status, and today’s affair will have given their argument a spot of reinforcing.
He takes victory in the Matchbook Clarence House Chase at @Ascot
