Altior not certain to run in Saturday’s Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury racecourse reveals trainer Nicky Henderson

NICKY HENDERSON is not committing to running Altior in Saturday's Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury.

Henderson's chaser has not been seen yet this season and has undergone a wind operation since his last run.

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He has been impressing Henderson in gallops at home but he is still not certain to take up his entry.

The Seven Barrows handler said: "I think he is going to go but I am not going to promise.

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"I did want to get another school into him. He schooled last week and he was fantastic, but he was nearly too fantastic. He would want to do it again to take that freshness out of him. He was so fresh that he wanted to murder them.

"He went 10 furlongs this morning on the grass and he was in great form."

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Henderson also admitted he would prefer more time to prepare his eight-year-old, but is keen to give him a run before the Queen Mother Champion Chase in just five weeks' time.

"I'd buy another week with him," Henderson added.

"The only danger is, because he is so talented, the work is too easy for him. We are lucky we have got so many good horses but he can chew them up a bit.

"I'd like to get a race into him. If he gets beaten, he gets beaten - he is going to get beaten one day. You have got to hope he doesn't, but you have got to look at it like that.

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"His work is fantastic, his wind is fantastic and his jumping fantastic.

"All in all he is just in great form, he really is."