No regrets: Nicky Henderson defends Altior withdrawal and moots Thursday run

Nicky Henderson had no regrets on Saturday after withdrawing stable star Altior from the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase late on Friday night, describing the ground at Sandown as a "bottomless glue pit" and saying there was "no point" putting the rest of his season in jeopardy.

The going on the chase course at Sandown was officially described as soft, good to soft in places on Saturday but having saddled two odds-on favourites to be beaten in the first two races, albeit over hurdles where the ground was officially heavy, soft in places, Henderson was adamant the correct decision had been made.

"We've run two horses so far today and both were beaten at odds-on because neither of them could lift a foot out of the ground," said Henderson on Saturday. "The question was will this horse [Altior] be happy in this ground. Nico de Boinville and I asked the question and we knew the answer, and the Pughs [owners the Pugh family] agreed."

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Henderson is now focusing on the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton on December 27 for Altior, although he did not rule out the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase if that contest was switched to Taunton on Thursday – as it has been in the past – after Huntingdon's fixture on Sunday was abandoned. Usually run over 2m4f, the Peterborough Chase was run over 2m5½f when it was switched to Taunton in 2017.

"I'm sorry, we want to run him but we'll just reschedule and the people who get lucky will be the people at Kempton on December 27 because they will get to see him," said Henderson. "If they happened to run the Peterborough Chase at Taunton on Thursday, he'd go there. It would be easier than going two miles around here, that's for sure."

The BHA confirmed on Saturday discussions with Huntingdon's owners Jockey Club Racecourses about restaging the Peterborough Chase were in motion, with a decision expected in the early part of next week.

Nicky Henderson: faced some unmerited criticism on Saturday following the withdrawal of AltiorCredit: Edward Whitaker

Asked if he had any concerns over the ground turning soft at Kempton over Christmas, the champion trainer added: "The difference between Kempton and Sandown is chalk and cheese. It's never an issue and soft ground around Kempton he'd run. He'd run here on soft ground but that isn't soft ground, it's a bottomless glue pit. It's heavy, heavy glue.

"I'm not blaming Andrew Cooper [clerk of the course], they can call it what they like, but you go into that weighing room and ask any jockey what that ground is and they will only tell you one thing. It's just horrendous.

"We did it last year and ran him in it at Ascot when we shouldn't have done and I wasn't going to make the same mistake again. We paid the penalty last time and it took him two months to get over. There's no point."

PJA chief questions 'trivial' non-runners following Altior controversy

After ruling Altior out at around 9pm on Friday, Henderson made it clear that the only race that matters this season is the Champion Chase at Cheltenham in March, comments that did not sit well with Tingle Creek sponsors Betfair.

"I know the horse's welfare comes first but what's disappointing from a sponsor's point of view is to read the trainer say it's all about one race in March," said Betfair's Barry Orr. "It's very disappointing and quite dismissive of the Tingle Creek itself as a Grade 1.

"The horse has won six times on soft going and all the soundings were very positive in the lead up to the race. It's a Grade 1 chase that stamps magnificent champions through the generations."

Saturday's reports:

'We wanted to take on Altior' – reaction of Paul Nicholls after Tingle Creek win

Santini and Native River thwarted in Many Clouds Chase by outsider Lake View Lad

Allmankind puts in jumping exhibition as four-year-olds dominateHenry VIII

'He's a star' – Vieux Lion Rouge storms to second Becher win on fifth race run

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