bet365 Celebration Chase
Grade 1, Sandown 15:00 £125,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
Saturday 28th April 2018

1 Altior 2/11F
2 San Benedeto 33/1
3 God's Own 11/1
6 ran Distances: 3¼l, 3¾l, 3¾l
Time: 3m 56.90s (slow by 10.90s)

Altior is strongest at the finish to win

Altior
© Racehorse Photos

Nicky Henderson’s stable star was sent off the 2-11 favourite for the two-mile Grade One and while Nico de Boinville had to give him a slap of the whip after the last, he found plenty up the Sandown hill to win with ease.

San Benedeto, a 33-1 shot, finished second with God's Own third, as Altior followed up his Cheltenham Festival success.

De Boinville told ITV Racing: “He was pretty workmanlike, I have to say. I think Cheltenham left its mark.

“We have come here, it’s soft ground now, the rain’s got in a bit and I think he found it hard enough work. 

“This is the mark of great champions, they can pull it out of the bag when they are up against the ropes.

“All credit to him as he retains his unbeaten record over fences.”

Asked about the possibility of stepping up in trip next term, De Boinville feels it would not be the best decision.

He added: ““Against Might Bite? I don’t see the point in stepping up to three miles when you’ve got an outstanding Champion Chaser.”

Henderson said: “It’s been a very difficult season, to be fair. Just to go back, we had to push a bit to get the run in the Game Spirit and that looked good.

“He probably just felt that a bit and there was probably still a bit of Cheltenham on him, I think. He is good enough and because he is so classy he can get away with it.

“In that ground he was just tired and they were going a good gallop. He is just very good. It doesn’t bother him. He is just as good as there is. 

“He is not exhausted by a million miles, but he was just being kind to the horse, to be fair. He quickened up again as soon as he said ‘go’.

“I think he is racing in a more relaxed mode this year. What I would have liked to have done is gone to Aintree and tried him over two and a half (miles). He really wasn’t back in time for that and you can see why he has only got back in time for this.

“He can go and have a good summer. It’s been a rush of a season to get him anywhere.

“Where do you go, that is the problem. He is sure to start in the Tingle Creek. He deserves the one he didn’t win this year.

“To be fair, I think the horse has come back quite well.”

bet365 Celebration Chase
£125,000 added, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

Pos	D	Horse SP	Jockey Weight	Trainer	Age
1st		Altior (IRE) 2/11f	Nico de Boinville 11-7	N J Henderson	8
2nd	3¼	San Benedeto (FR) 33/1	Sam Twiston-Davies 11-7	P F Nicholls	7
3rd	3¾	God's Own (IRE) 11/1	P J Brennan 11-7	T R George	10
4th	3¾	Special Tiara 12/1	D A Jacob 11-7	H de Bromhead	11
5th	5	Diego Du Charmil (FR) 10/1	H Cobden 11-7	P F Nicholls	6
F		Ar Mad (FR) 16/1	Joshua Moore 11-7	G L Moore	8