Can Altior be beaten? Get the lowdown on his Celebration Chase opposition

3.00 Sandown
Bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) 2m | 5yo | ITV1/RTV

Sceau good, but is he good enough?

Trained by Alan King for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the slick-jumping Sceau Royal led after the last in the Champion Chase, although he had no answer – like pretty much everything else over the last few years – when Altior's turbo kicked in up the Cheltenham hill and he finished third.

Connections were thrilled, however, and they can take heart from the seven-year-old's impressive course-and-distance success in the 2017 Henry VIII Novices' Chase.

King said: "He's in great nick and Daryl [Jacob] gave him a pop over six hurdles on Thursday morning. I'm delighted with him. He had a good break after Cheltenham and the ground should be spot on for him. We've got the mighty horse to take on, but we did give him a scare at Cheltenham.

"I think we'll leave tactics to Daryl, but he'll love that ground. We'll let him do the talking now."

God's Own: decent ground in his favourCredit: Patrick McCann

The one and Ownly?

God's Own, a firm favourite at Tom George's Gloucestershire yard, also knows what Altior's backside looks like having been beaten three times by him, including when third in this event 12 months ago.

"It's the first time in a long time he's got conditions in his favour, as since the Haldon Gold Cup he's been running on easier ground," George said of the 11-year-old, who is a class act on his day.

"He's the same enthusiastic chap as ever at home and the Melling Chase over two and a half miles on soft ground last time was just too far. Hopefully he can put that behind him. He's a good horse who has won three Grade 1s and more than £600,000 in prize-money, which says enough."

'Diego fresh and well'

He is a Paul Nicholls-trained chaser owned by Johnny de la Hey, but Diego Du Charmil is not the horse most people wanted to go head to head with Altior.

Quick ground means stablemate Cyrname, officially the best jumper in Britain, parades before racing rather than being involved in a heavyweight title fight.

Paul Nicholls' five Celebration Chase winners

2002 Cenkos
2004 Cenkos
2008 Andreas
2009 Twist Magic
2012 Sanctuaire

Diego Du Charmil was last seen finishing 41 lengths adrift of Altior in the Clarence House, and Nicholls said: "He's got a bit of a tough ask, but he was fifth in the race last year just after Aintree, and loves to be fresh. He'll like the fast ground and is fresh and well, but Altior is an amazing horse and will be very hard to beat."

Newland under no illusions about Vosnee

Richard Newland is one of the shrewdest trainers around and hopes he has placed Vosnee Romanee – the lowest-rated runner in the line-up – to profitable effect.

He said: "We've trained the horse for this race and we identified it months ago. Hopefully he'll get round and pick up some prize-money and be competitive, but I don't expect him to beat Altior; I'm under no illusions.

"We're getting a bit high in the handicap so we thought it was time he had a go in a conditions race, and we thought this would suit him if he got quick ground, which it looks like we will."

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