Awesome Altior underlines the heavy price exacted by a four-day festival

Kindly pause for a moment and think about what you would make of this hypothetical scenario. Altior jumps the last with an unassailable lead in the Champion Chase, yet Nico de Boinville draws his whip, uses every one of his permitted strikes and keeps driving hard to extend the winning margin as far as he possibly can.

Such an outcome would promote bedlam. De Boinville would be lucky to ride Altior again, but that’s what has to happen if Altior is to advance his standing in the eyes of official handicappers. He would need to make it count on what may well be his last start over the minimum trip.

This scenario will never come to pass, of course. It’s far more important Altior ensures victory while saving something for possible outings at Aintree, Punchestown or Sandown, and for his projected step-up in trip as he explores new horizons next season.