Sceau Royal lined up for Altior battle

Alan King is plotting a showdown with Altior for Sceau Royal in the Tingle Creek Chase after his Shloer Chase victory on Sunday.

The six-year-old had not been seen since his novice season was prematurely ended by a suspensory injury which he suffered after a win at Doncaster in January.

And, despite being pushed all the way by outsider Simply Ned, jockey Daryl Jacob managed to guide him to victory by two-and-a-quarter-lengths at Cheltenham.

King was delighted with the win and is now ready to take on reigning two-mile champion Altior at Sandown on December 8.

He said: “It's the logical place to go. We had put him in the Fighting Fifth, but I can assure you he will not be going for the Fighting Fifth.

“It scares the life out me taking on Altior, but why not? Someone has got to take him on.

“This horse has won round Sandown and we are going to be match fit, but we are under no illusions. He won the Henry VII last season and he loves Sandown, so we will have a crack and see.

“The main thing is that he is all right in the morning.

“All those two milers I've had have been pretty slow and he is a slow horse at home. I have to be quite careful what I work him with, but it is what they do on track that matters.”