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Sprinter Sacre has been ruled out of the Cheltenham Festival, Nicky Henderson has told the Raicng Post. The Champion Chase favourite worked on Saturday with Triolo d’Alene but "is not showing the same brilliance as he did last season".
not looking good lads
Big blow for the festival and racegoers, he would’ve been the highlight of the week as per last year. Not sure where this leaves the horse now, are Aintree and Punchestown on the agenda, will he return next season or is it best to retire him?
I have been backing Sire De Grugy ante-post over the past weeks – something I don’t do now, but chose to break that rule in this case, simply because I had anticipated this happening.
Sprinter Sacre went out like a light at Kempton and it was obvious that things were sadly amiss with the great horse. I knew Henderson would have his work cut out to get the horse back in time for the festival and he wouldn’t even attempt risking the horse at Cheltenham unless he was showing the brilliance of old.
Sad, but it looks as if we’ve seen the best of Sprinter Sacre. I think retirement is the only option now.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
He’s the best trainer around, in my opinion, but what’s wrong in waiting another two weeks if, as he claims, Sprinter Sacre is 90% now ?
He’s had few runners – it’s National Hunt racing. If you haven’t got horses for soft ground then there’s something wrong.
He’s complained about the lack of opportunities for some of his horses – Nicholls has got on with the job. Seems to be a problem with Seven Barrows as regards race management and targeting horses for specific races.
At least the Arkle comparisons will come to a juddering halt
Chelters will be all the poorer though for sure …Nichols just might be champion trainer yet ,..
imo
My favourite horse of all time. The festival while I still cant wait has lost a bit of sparkle. I will not be able to enjoy the champion chase with the champ not being there. I hope he returns to his best next year.
Sprinter Sacre will not defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham next month.
The two-mile king was sensationally pulled up at Kempton on December 27 and was quickly diagnosed as suffering from an irregular heartbeat. That problem righted itself, and he has been closely monitored since by equine specialist Celia Marr, steadily pleasing his team, and with a racecourse gallop in the offing.
However, the eight-year-old did not show his usual brilliance in a piece of work at trainer Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows base on Saturday, prompting the decision to miss the Festival meeting as well as the rest of the season.
Henderson told Press Association Sport: "He worked as normal, but I just needed to see the old Sprinter back. Everything had been going very well, his work was building up. It had been OK, but I was looking for that something he shows. He is extraordinary and always used to give us that at home.
"I talked extensively with Caroline and Raymond Mould, who have been very understanding.
"I said the other week it was 50-50 (getting to Cheltenham), but quietly I thought it was above that, I honestly thought we were going the right way. It’s just not all there and I can’t ask a horse of his standing, I can’t sacrifice him. I think it is fairer to everybody – the horse told us what he wanted to tell us yesterday."
Henderson went on: "He worked with Triolo D’Alene, Nico (De Boinville) rode him as he has every day for the last three years, and he had his heart monitor on.
"Triolo is a good work horse and anything that works with him has to be good, he is the one horse I use as a lead horse for Sprinter Sacre as he needs a good gallop on the way to the Grand National and wherever he goes before that.
"The old Sprinter Sacre would have found it very easy – if a normal horse works well with Triolo you’d say ‘get on that next time’ but Sprinter in fairness is unique, it’s as simple as that. Simonsig used to be his workmate last year but we lost him (to injury). He will be back and I’m confident Sprinter Sacre will be back, too.
"But I can’t ask him to go to a racecourse next weekend. We all watch him day in day out, his blood is good and his scopes, and Celia says his heart is good. It’s not his heart. He’s just missing something, something like 10 per cent, but that is crucial when you are in the zone we are in.
"I don’t feel I want to gallop him on a racecourse next week. He needs a racecourse gallop (to get to Cheltenham) and I can’t ask him to do it. He is 100 per cent sound, he’s above 90 per cent but you need to be 100 per cent, that’s where you need to be. He needed to go to a racecourse.
"We talked for a long time last night and again today. We’ve come up with our decision and that is that, the Moulds have been very understanding. It just shows all the ups and downs. Last year was phenomenal, particularly with Sprinter. He took us to places no horse has done for years. I can’t thank Celia and everybody at home enough.
"At least he is sound and his heart is good, therefore there must be every chance he will be back next season 100 per cent, and let’s hope the old Sprinter is back in the Tingle Creek in December, that’s what matters to us.
Look out everybody because believe me we will get him there."
Paddy Power make the Gary Moore-trained Sire De Grugy, twice a Grade One winner this season, the 5-4 favourite for the BetVictor-sponsored Queen Mother on March 12.
I hope the highlighted part is true
"At least he is sound and his heart is good, therefore there must be every chance he will be back next season 100 per cent, and let’s hope the old Sprinter is back in the Tingle Creek in December, that’s what matters to us.
Look out everybody because believe me we will get him there."
I got my
Binoculars
out and had a daft fiver on at 80’s he still turns up!
"At least he is sound and his heart is good, therefore there must be every chance he will be back next season 100 per cent, and let’s hope the old Sprinter is back in the Tingle Creek in December, that’s what matters to us.
Look out everybody because believe me we will get him there."
I got my
Binoculars
out and had a daft fiver on at 80’s he still turns up!
mate brought this up with me earlier trying to console me.
Personally believe sprinter is diff – Henderson would never be forgiven if he ran sprinter and something happened after todays run. Had he planned to run him he could have said he wasn’t working well but as he is sound they are going to let him take his chance. This sounded like a definite no go (I know binocular did too but that was after a race – not schooling).
Perhaps they will bring him along to Cheltenham to parade on the day, those who had booked the Festival in anticipation of seeing this great horse in action would at least get the chance to see him in the flesh.
I hope his owners take the decision that his racing days are behind him now he deserves a long and happy retirement.Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...Very sad news. Betfair price always suggested Henderson was fighting a losing battle. He’d have been 1/6 had he been doing his usual work, not evens. They’ve made the right decision, give the horse a break and may be, just may be, Sprinter Sacre will be back.
With Simonsig also missing the Queen Mum Chase and Ryanair look substandard this year.
Value Is EverythingHorses are not machines ….the way this fellah ran last year was so extraordinarily good , you felt something had to give …and it has , a years rest or at least 6 months and he might be back , if not we have enjoyed what we saw ,
Chelters will be fantastic as always , new names , new stars are just around the corner …thats the nature of our game
The bookies will be running for cover now , as they could get a good caning with Sire de Grugy ……..lets hope he wins 25 lengths
imo
well in my heart I knew he wouldn’t make chelts in march, he is off to Newmarket vets for full MOT, with the vet that had been monitoring his heart, although they say all his bloods, scoops and monitoring are all normal, only time will tell
vf
I like to think that Sprinter Sacre will be back. Whatever his problem is, it doesn’t appear as bad as the difficulty that Paul Nicholls had with Denman.
I do wonder how many horses run on a daily basis that are just over 90% fit and still carry on throughout the season.
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