Altior on course for one of the meeting's highlights

This year’s Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham could provide one of the most-eagerly awaited clashes of the week between Altior and Defi du Seuil, after the latter was taken out of the Ryanair Chase.

This year’s Grade 1 Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase could provide one of the most-eagerly awaited clashes of the week between Altior and Defi du Seuil, after the latter was taken out of the Ryanair Chase.

Altior is on course for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham | Getty

placeholder image — Altior is on course for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham | Getty

Altior, whose four wins at The Festival for Nicky Henderson include back-to-back victories in 2018 and 2019, returned to winning ways over his favoured distance in a Grade 2 chase at Newbury earlier this month.

Defi du Seuil is also no stranger to the winner’s enclosure at The Festival, having taken the 2017 Grade 1 JCB Triumph Hurdle and last year’s Grade 1 Novices’ Chase, and is unbeaten in three starts for Philip Hobbs this season.

The 18 remaining contenders include Chacun Pour Soi (Willie Mullins IRE), who heads to The Festival on the back of victory in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.