Aintree 2019: Altior looking to make history and emulate Sprinter Sacre in Melling Chase at Aintree

ALL eyes will again be on Altior next week as he looks to enter the history books for good.

Not only is Big Buck's 18 consecutive successes under threat, but Altior is also looking to emulate the legend Sprinter Sacre.

Since the turn of the century, only one horse has won both the Champion Chase and the Melling in the same calendar year: Sprinter Sacre in 2013.

Altior has the chance to emulate his stablemate and be recognised as a great of National Hunt racing once and for all next Friday.

He's odds on to do so, but has a pair of Ditcheat big guns in his way in Cyrname and Politologue.

The latter is fresh from skipping Cheltenham, and racing fans will be awaiting a potentially mouthwatering clash after Cyrname's Ascot demolition job last month.

Sprinter was heavy odds-on (1-4 and 1-3 respectively) when he won by a combined 23.5 lengths five years ago.

While Nicky Henderson’s current superstar isn’t quite as short as his old flame, he is still comfortably below evens to deliver the second part of a memorable double, having won at 4-11 two weeks ago.

Elsewhere in the market, Waiting Patiently is in the market at 7-1, having missed out on Cheltenham, while last year’s Melling winner Politologue completes the top three, at 5-1 best price.

Oddschecker spokesman George Elek: “The way that Altior put away the challengers having jumped the last behind at Cheltenham suggests that this step could be what the superstar is crying out for.

"He is already the horse of a lifetime in many's eyes, and this new challenge is the first step in trying to prove it beyond doubt."

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