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 ...