Game On! Champion Altior and Native River face quality opposition at Newbury

Altior will need to be close to his best on Saturday when five top-class rivals take on Nicky Henderson's star in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury.

The ten-year-old is looking to restart his winning run having suffered first defeat over obstacles to Cyrname in an Ascot epic in November.

Altior has won the last two runnings of the Betfair-sponsored Game Spirit (2.25) – with no running in 2019 due to the equine flu outbreak – and he is 2-5 with the sponsors to complete the hat-trick.

But four of his five rivals on Saturday are Grade 1 winners, including the exciting Dynamite Dollars who makes his seasonal reappearance. Paul Nicholls' contender progressed rapidly last season, winning four from five, including Sandown's Henry VIII Novices' Chase.

Altior renews his rivalry with Sceau Royal, who finished third behind him in last season's Champion Chase. Top-level scorers Kalashnikov and Simply Ned and Desert Orchid Chase winner Bun Doran complete the line-up.

Newbury-Cheltenham double

February 2018: Altior wins the Game Spirit and Native River is victorious on reappearance in the Denman Chase

March 2018: Altior puts in the best performance of his career to triumph in the Champion Chase, Native River wins the Gold Cup

The Betfair Denman Chase (3.00) will feature Native River and Might Bite, who fought out a thrilling finish to the 2018 Gold Cup. They are the two star names from seven runners in the Grade 2 event, with Secret Investor and Activial other noteworthy contenders.

The Listed bumper, in which Buveur D'Air and Altior finished second and third behind Barters Hill in 2015, has attracted a quality field of ten.

Read more ahead of the weekend's action

Favourite Mack The Man sneaks into Betfair Hurdle

3.30 Kempton: the one race you cannot afford to miss on Friday

Native River: the big friendly giant with a heart of a lion and an eye for the limelight

Archive aces: five brilliant winners of the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury

Friday tipping: Our top tipster has five fancies for a fantastic day of action under both codes

Get ahead of the game with Get Your Eye in - exclusive Saturday preview content on racingpost.com and the Racing Post mobile app from 2pm on Friday