Henderson confident Altior can shine

Nicky Henderson believes Altior will silence his doubters in Saturday’s Betfair Cheltenham Free Pot Builder Chase at Newbury.

The 11-year-old will be looking to prove he is still the main threat in the two-mile division, with him already a three-time winner of Saturday’s race.

However, Altior missed last year’s Champion Chase at Cheltenham, and he failed to impress during December’s Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase.

Henderson’s charge finished second to Nube Negra at Kempton and critics have suggested his career at the top level may be over.

Despite the recent setback, the Seven Barrows handler says his stable star looks back to his best in training.

He told reporters: “He’s good, I think. Everything has gone well, and this is the next step.

“He likes Newbury, and his demeanour seems better to me than it was prior to Christmas – he’s more like his old self.

“The one thing he loves is schooling. I’m not very good at filming and blogging and the like, but we schooled him the other morning and (my wife) Sophie filmed him.

“You could see how incredibly quick, fast and accurate he is through the air. Nico (de Boinville) likes schooling him, but I find it terrifying to watch. There’s no point anything trying to go with him because, at home, nothing can.”

Despite Henderson’s optimism, this weekend’s weather could stop Altior in his tracks, with Saturday’s card under threat.

Officials at Newbury have conceded they face a race against time to get Saturday’s card on, with an inspection called for Friday at 8:30am.