Henderson: Altior very unlikely to contest 'tempting' King George

Nicky Henderson has described a tilt at the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton with Saturday's Tingle Creek Chase winner Altior as “very unlikely”, despite admitting to being tempted to try his star two-mile chaser over further.

Altior is among the 19 remaining entries for the Kempton showpiece on December 26 but all roads lead to the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase for the Patricia Pugh-owned eight-year-old.

Henderson held talks with the Pughs and jockey Nico de Boinville on Saturday evening but virtually ruled out the prospect of aiming Altior at the King George over three miles.

Watch Altior's victory in the Tingle Creek

The seven-time Grade 1 winner is now unbeaten in 15 starts over hurdles and fences following his four-length victory over Un De Sceaux at Sandown and is a general 4-6 favourite to land the Champion Chase for a second time in March.

Henderson said on Sunday: “The King George is very tempting and we left him in the race on Tuesday, but we virtually ruled it out last night and it’s very unlikely.

“I’d love to have a go – and if it was in a month’s time and on decent ground there would not be any doubt we would – but I can't believe he’s going to come out of yesterday’s race in 17 days' time not a little bruised from the Tingle Creek.

“Going that gallop in heavy ground has to have taken something out of him and it was his first run back.

“We’ve got time on our side. I know we can be accused of wrapping him up in cotton wool, but there's only one race for him and that's the Champion Chase. That’s the only thing that really matters.”

Sprinter Sacre: an all-time great for Seven Barrows maestro Nicky HendersonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Altior has won the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Racing Post Arkle and Champion Chase at the last three Cheltenham Festivals, but how does he compare to the great Sprinter Sacre?

Comparisons tend to be drawn between the best, and Henderson feels Altior is nearing the level of his all-time great.

“It took me a long time to say Sprinter was the best I’ve had but I knew he was,” Henderson said on Racing UK's Luck on Sunday show. “He was unbeatable in his prime and although he never got back to his very best, he was still a very, very good horse.

“Simonsig would also be in the mix; he and Sprinter were two phenomenal horses at the time.

“Altior has come on right behind Sprinter Sacre and is getting right up there. They were very big shoes that were going to be very difficult to fill, but he’s sort of stepping towards it.”

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