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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Altior has been withdrawn from the Queen Mother Champion Chase on day two at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday after trainer Nicky Henderson revealed the chaser had returned an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.
UPDATED 7:24PM, MAR 15 2021
Altior has been ruled out of Wednesday s Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the eleventh hour after Nicky Henderson reported he returned an unsatisfactory scope on Monday morning.
The 11-year-old, who won in 2018 and 2019, was withdrawn on the morning of the race last year after failing to recover from a setback. Altior had been available at 6-1 generally for this year s running.
Speaking to the Racing Post, Henderson said: It s very upsetting. At least he told us, which is something. If we d run him, well, it just doesn t bear thinking about. We ve got the figures back from the laboratory and they tell their own tale.
Horse & Hound
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The 2018 and 2019 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner, Altior, has been ruled out of going for a third tilt at the race at this week’s Cheltenham Festival.
The 11-year-old’s trainer Nicky Henderson reported today (15 March) that he had returned an unsatisfactory scope after working this morning.
Breaking the news via his Twitter account, Nicky said: “We are very sorry that we have taken the decision not to run Altior in the Champion Chase on Wednesday. He coughed after exercise this morning, which caused us to scope him, and as a result of what we have seen it would not be sensible to run him.