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Champion or Ryanair? Game Spirit may settle debate on Altior's festival target

Ready for take-off: Altior looks a readymade replacement for the original black aeroplane, Sprinter Sacre, as he lands the odds in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury
Altior: Game Spirit next for dual Champion Chase heroCredit: Edward Whitaker

It's that time of year when conversations about Cheltenham Festival targets become increasingly prevalent, and no doubt Nicky Henderson will be asked about one horse more than any other.

Altior won the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2018 and 2019 before injury deprived him of the chance to go for the hat-trick last year, but he looked to have lost a yard of pace when second to Nube Negra in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton over Christmas.

That renewed the debate about whether Henderson should step the 11-year-old back up in trip at Cheltenham for the Ryanair Chase.

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Lambourn correspondent

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