De Boinville soaked to the skin but thrilled after awesome Altior dazzles

Before the race Nico de Boinville received a drenching. Early in the race he received a shock. At the end of the race he received yet another trophy after the simply magnificent Altior, a horse he plainly adores, proved unbeatable once again.

Rain hammered down on the four runners in the minutes leading up to one of Sandown's brightest jewels. Fortunately, the good Lord is evidently a fan of top-class two-mile chasing, for the rain eased, the sky cleared and Altior delivered.

"I thought that was a great performance, right up there with his best," said De Boinville, covered in mud and soaked to the skin, as was his brave mount.