Horse racing The Observer Nicky Henderson praises dream run as Altior wins with ease on return • Altior maintains unbeaten record with Newbury victory• Native River is also victorious on return to action Altior powers over the last to win from Politologue. Altior is now odds-on to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase after dismissing Politologue with ease in the Game Spirit Chase. Native River, who took the Denman Chase, advanced to second-favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup on 16 March. Nicky Henderson, Altior’s trainer, suggested beforehand that if his outstanding two-miler was ever likely to lose his unbeaten record over fences, this was the race. While Brian Hughes and Cloudy Dream tried hard to close him down in the straight, a series of fine jumps took Native River further clear.

Source: The Guardian February 10, 2018 17:27 UTC