David Ord feels the Altior team have nothing to lose by running in the King George despite his defeat at Ascot on Saturday.
Altior team should stay strong
In terms of Saturday’s Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot, the one thing it seemed unlikely to be for connections of Altior was inconclusive.
But it proved just that and as the dust settles on his first defeat in 20 starts it’s hard to find reasons not to stick with plan A and head to the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Because it wasn’t a lack of stamina that beat him in Berkshire. It was a combination of a brilliant rival and deep ground on his seasonal reappearance.
The winner of the last two Betway Queen Mother Champion Chases, he cut a tired figure in the unfamiliar spot reserved for runners-up on Saturday, but that was understandable. He’d given chase to Cyrname throughout the contest but at no stage – at a mile, two or two-and-half - truly looked like going past him.
Nor had he gone with the zest of a horse who was racing at a slower pace than that to which he’s become accustomed. It always looked hard work when he should have been inclined to go a stride or two faster.
He was as close at the line as he was at the third last and it was no wonder Nicky Henderson was left confused and Nico de Boinville deflated (despite the least convincing "very pleased" I’ve ever seen in a post-race interview on ITV) afterwards.
You always sensed the desire to test the champion beyond two miles was owner-led, but it’s very early days for the experiment. He’ll need to fence fluently if sent to Kempton but what is there to lose by giving him a crack at the best staying chasers as we try to digest our Christmas Day excesses?
Win or lose there would still be two and a half months to mull over his Cheltenham target, and it would be altogether more fulfilling to take the decision over whether it’s a return to two miles on the back of a definitive run in the King George, rather than more tentative steps elsewhere.
It might be he doesn’t stay but at Ascot on Saturday there wasn’t enough evidence for team Altior not to answer the bell after round one.
He's a brilliant chaser but now not flawless - and that’s what we love about our winter heroes. Who will ever forget Kauto Star hauling himself off the canvas to win a fourth Betfair Chase back in 2011?
Altior is racing on much younger legs and with plenty more big days ahead of him. Perhaps defeat can be a positive in that the unbeaten run is no longer a legacy that some could argue needs protecting.
It was a sporting decision by connections to open this season in against Cyrname at Ascot.
Here’s hoping he continues to be campaigned that way.
Mullins flying - but needs to be
One notable aspect of the new jumps season is the flying start made by Willie Mullins.
The dry autumn of 2018 was a headache for the Closutton maestro and he was forced to delay rolling out his big guns.
Fast forward 12 months and already we’ve seen Douvan, Faugheen, Blue Sari, Stormy Ireland, Footpad, Getabird and Laurina return to the fray with victories. And even when Klassical Dream came up short on his return in the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, stablemate Saldier was there to pick up the pieces.
Admittedly the bulk of the above were short-price favourites and entitled to win but the fact they’re up and about this side of Christmas is encouraging.
But it’s the younger stars who now need to emerge for the reigning Irish champion.
Arch rival Gordon Elliott already has Envoi Allen and Andy Dufresne ensconced at the top of the ante-post markets for the Sky Bet Surpeme and Ballymore respectively, and the pressure will always be on to replace like for like as the established stars reach the veteran stage of their careers.
Mullins and Harold Kirk have an enviable record in the sales rings of France, Ireland and England but despite Gigginstown pulling back from the restocking process, it’s only going to get more difficult.
Susannah Ricci’s John Snow carried a tall home reputation to his recent stable debut at Cork and shaped well in third behind two more streetwise rivals in Front View and Uhtred.
They are both trained by Joseph O’Brien, a man who has already loosened the Mullins and Elliott stranglehold on the top Irish events.
He has the fire-(and spending)power to completely break it in the years to come too.
It promises to be a fascinating few months as the three titans take the wraps off more of their emerging stars – and try get their hands on fresh ones too.
Fingers crossed Tiger can roar
I’m very much looking forward to a visit to Elliott’s next week as Aintree build up to a potentially historic renewal of the Randox Health Grand National.
Tiger Roll might be on the easy list having had a small chip in a joint removed but connections are very confident he’ll make the Boyle Hurdle at Navan in February before the traditional spring stops at Cheltenham and Liverpool.
Here's a horse who has already cemented his place in racing folklore – and victory on the first Saturday in April would catapult him into sporting greatness.
He’s of course bidding to win a third successive Randox Health Grand National, a feat that even eclipsed the great Red Rum, and few would count against him doing it.
Despite the protestations of team O’Leary he’s going to have to carry top weight but handicapper Martin Greenwood and his team often do their best to cushion the blow for those conceding weight all round in Liverpool.
The National, our most scrutinised and important race of the year, deserves a shot in the arm. It will always have its critics but provides the sport with a spotlight no other occasion can. You can’t remove risk entirely but to continue to enjoy the spectacle have to accept that the BHA and the team at Aintree have done all they can to minimise risk to horse and rider. They’ve done that.
Now it could be about to celebrate the most significant moment in its illustrious history.
For all Cyrname, Altior and Betfair Chase hero Lostintranslation have to offer, it’s Tiger Roll who could single-handedly catapult this season to an altogether higher level in the spring.