The Leader Newspaper
By Andrew Atkinson
Altior has been withdrawn from the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday after trainer Nicky Henderson revealed the chaser had returned an unsatisfactory scope.
âWe are very sorry that we have taken the difficult decision not to run Altior in the Champion Chase. He coughed after exercise which caused us to scope him and as a result of what we have seen it would not be sensible to run him.
âThis is devastating for all of us, and Altiorâs owners Pat and Christopher Pugh in particular, in that this is the second year running we have had to pull him out at the last minute,” said Henderson.