Nicky Henderson has dismissed concerns over the potential going at Kempton on December 27 with Altior set to run in the Desert Orchid Chase.
Altior had been pencilled in to contest the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown earlier this month but was a late withdrawal as Henderson did not want to take any risks with the testing conditions.
The two-time Queen Mother Champion Chase winner is now set for the Desert Orchid Chase and Henderson has no qualms about the race, which will be Altior’s first outing since winning the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in February.
“He’s been great and we’ve been delighted the way things are going,” Henderson said.
“Everybody has been saying ‘are you’re going to run him on soft ground at Kempton?’.
“Kempton soft ground and Sandown soft ground are two different things altogether. There are lots of different types of soft. This is about getting a clear run and lots of things can go wrong.
“Last year he got a splint three or four days before Cheltenham. Anything can happen, anything can jump out and bite you at the last minute.”
