ALTIOR has been ruled out of Friday’s Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.

The nine-year-old was due to drop back to two miles in the Grade 2 heat after having his unbeaten streak over obstacles ended when upped in trip at Ascot on his seasonal bow last month.

Nicky Henderson had hoped his dual Champion Chase hero could bounce back from that defeat at the hands of Cyrname at the Sunbury venue, but a minor setback has scuppered those plans.

Henderson tweeted: “Unfortunately Altior will NOT run tomorrow due to an abscess. The timing is awful so we may look at the Silviniaco Conti Chase (over two miles and four furlongs) back at Kempton on January 11.”

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