NATIONAL Hunt star Altior will aim to keep his unbeaten record alive when he takes on a maximum of three rivals in Saturday's Matchbook Clarence House Chase (3.35pm) at Ascot.
The course's first meeting of the year features seven races, but there is no doubt it is Nicky Henderson's nine-year-old who will take top billing.
Unbeaten over 16 races in his career, Altior has looked imperious this season, winning the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park from Un De Sceaux before having little more than a canter round to win the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton last month.
Among his potential rivals will be Un De Sceaux, the Willie Mullins-trained 11-year-old who has won the contest three times and proved he is far from finished as a top-level horse when pushing Altior all the way at Sandown.
However, Un De Sceaux is a mud lover and with the ground already good, good to soft in places and little rain forecast, his participation is far from certain.
The other two entries in the field are Colin Tizzard's Fox Norton, who has not run since the 2017 King George VI Chase, and Paul Nicholls' Diego Du Charmil.
Other races of note are the Grade Three Matchbook Holloways Handicap Hurdle (2.25pm) and the bet365 Handicap Chase (3pm).
Gates open at 1045am with the first race at 12.40pm and the concluding contest at 4.05pm.
Tickets start at £20.
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