Arkle ace Altior may go straight to Champion Chase without a prep race

The prospect of Racing Post Arkle hero Altior heading straight to the Cheltenham Festival in March is no concern to trainer Nicky Henderson.

Unbeaten in five starts over hurdles and six over fences with two festival triumphs on his CV, Altior is one of the biggest and brightest names in jump racing, but underwent wind surgery last month.

That meant he missed last Saturday's Tingle Creek at Sandown, but Henderson hopes to have him back for Cheltenham and identified the race known as the Game Spirit at Newbury on February 10 as perhaps the only comeback option.

Altior pictured at Nicky Henderson's yard in SeptemberCredit: Edward Whitaker

If he does not make the track for a run before Cheltenham, Patricia Pugh's athletic son of High Chaparral would almost certainly have a racecourse gallop somewhere in the spring, the trainer added.

"The Game Spirit is probably the last chance," said Henderson. "We've got to play it by the book and we can't go any faster than the rule book says.

"He's not even being ridden yet – he's allowed to walk. He's as frustrated as I am. You're watching the Tingle Creek and it's awfully disappointing watching it not being there because I can't believe we weren't going to be involved."

Altior, who won the Game Spirit this year when it was run as the Betfair Exchange Chase, remains favourite for the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at a top price of 2-1.

Henderson added: "It wouldn't worry me [going straight to the festival]. We've done it before and we can get there without a race. If you can, get one of course, but what you don't want is a race when you're not ready for it because you'll do more harm than good – you'll knock them backwards rather than bring them forwards.

"You want to be careful. Running them when you're not quite ready, you might get away with it but it's dangerous."

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