Andrew Nelis racing

  Queen Mother Champion Chase heroine   Put The Kettle On   is among   Altior ’s potential rivals in the bet365 Celebration Chase at Sandown. Having missed out on bidding for a hat-trick in the Champion Chase for the second year in succession following a late setback,  Nicky Henderson ’s Altior looks set to round off his campaign by bidding for a fourth win in the final Grade One of the season on Saturday. The 11-year-old might not have things all his own way, however, with Henry de Bromhead’s mare Put The Kettle On set to be in opposition. The Stowaway mare claimed her second Festival success in the Champion Chase last month, following on from her victory in the Arkle Trophy 12 months earlier.                        Andrew Nelis racing 

Nicky Henderson will do all he can to get Altior to the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase after revealing the brilliant two-miler was found to be lame on Sunday morning. Altior suffered his first career defeat over jumps at Ascot in November, but bounced back on his return to his favoured two miles in the Game Spirit at Newbury last month. All had been set fair for an eagerly-awaited showdown with Defi Du Seuil and Chacun Pour Soi at Cheltenham on Wednesday. But Henderson told the PA news agency: “Unfortunately Altior was lame this morning, due to an old splint that has been dormant. It’s never bothered him before and typically it rears its ugly head now. “We are working away and there’s lots we can do, we have two days, but it’s an uphill battle. We have the treadmill he can go on and it’s very cold water, which helps these things a lot. “We have to keep going. We’re working away and we’ll either get lucky or we won’t.” He added: “He was sound as a pound yesterday – yo...

Altior, Chacun Pour Soi and Defi Du Seuil remain on course for a fascinating clash at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday, after the trio featured among 11 horses confirmed for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. The Nicky Henderson-trained Altior is bidding to become only the second three-time winner of the two-mile showpiece, after Badsworth Boy racked up a hat-trick in the 1980s. However, despite having suffered just one defeat in 21 starts over jumps, the 10-year-old is unlikely to have things all his own way on his return to the Cotswolds, with two formidable rivals taking him on. Defi Du Seuil has been the star of the division in Britain so far this term, winning each of his three starts for trainer Philip Hobbs and owner JP McManus, including the Tingle Creek at Sandown and the Clarence House at Ascot. The lightly-raced Chacun Pour Soi beat Defi Du Seuil at the Punchestown Festival – and while he suffered a surprise defeat on his return to action at Leopardstown ...

Being crowned leading rider at the Cheltenham Festival requires the backing of a strong team – and after lifting last year’s title, Nico de Boinville looks perfectly poised to challenge for the coveted prize again. As number one to five-time champion trainer Nicky Henderson, the 30-year-old has a host of big rides to look forward to – headed by none other than Altior, who will be seeking a record-equalling third victory in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase. Having seen his unbeaten record over jumps ended by Cyrname at Ascot in November, the Patricia Pugh-owned 10-year-old looked like his old self reverting back to two miles with a third straight victory in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury last month. De Boinville said: “Altior’s season has been well documented in the press. What he did last time was show signs of his old self returning. “The way he put it to bed in the end was typical Altior. People expect him to be winning these races by huge distances, but he never a...

                  Chacun pour Soi Cheltenham 2020 . Chacun pour willie Mullins trained and arguably irelands best chance of lifting the QM champion chase in March . relatively unknown after coming back from injury when coming into Willie's yard , hes been gradually creeping up the ranks  leopardstown against the champion chaser min was extremely positive in the manner of which he won , has him spearheading in the top three of the betting  a boasting RPR of 175 puts him right in there  to seriously challenge for the CC . Defi du Suil   Philip's Hobbs trained and McManus owned   is the  other major challenger and hes been  winning well.been scratched from the Ryanair chase to compete in this !. Cyrname the highest rated horse in training and Paul Nicholls trained has been sent it seems to the RyanAir and also  defeating the champ Altior who's 100% record was broken at the distance of 2m 5 ....

   Cheltenham QM Champion Chase                   Andrew nelis racing  One of the hottest races of the Cheltenham festival , great winners down through the years , sprinter Sacre sizing Europe, Altior , Moscow flyer so many more  I could name many more. Now we have a very open affair this year , Altior ( Nicky Henderson trainer ) is the current champion going for three in a row . Now Altior stepped up in trip for the first time in his career  it was a move that wiped his 100% record out   by a defeat of cyrname ( Paul Nicholls ) the highest rated horse in training . Was it  Altior step up in trip that got him beat  or was it a horse maybe in the decline , he has achieved everything put in front of him winning a supreme a Arkle and two champion chases , not knocking a great horse , just simply  seeing that maybe he has peaked , and it always happens when a young gun or guns  ...