2014 Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase

"And Sprinter Sacre returns to Cheltenham glory, just like Binocular before, returning after Nicky Henderson all but rules him out of the festival. A miracle.... A miracle I say"

Cough Cough wouldn't be a surprise would it cough cough

 

Absolutely Sir Red Barney... Horse first before the chase of money... Though it would be a damn shame not to see him at Cheltenham I would be distraught if anything went wrong with him if he did... I perish the thought...

 

Now now, Nassau, old boy, let’s have no silliness here. The circumstances are somewhat different from that of Binocular but, of course, the one thing that both animals have in their favour is being treated by Mr Henderson’s ‘magic hands’. Incidentally, we should praise the great man for the way he reinvorgated and nursed Binocular, back to full health in ’10, not attack him. Many have said, of course, that it was the greatest recovery since old boy Lazarus.

As I said above Sprinter Sacre really couldn’t be in better hands or indeed better ‘magic’ ones. Let’s hope he makes it to the Festival but I now have big doubts, I’m afraid. Whatever happens though in Mr Henderson we trust to make the correct decision.

 

Surely it should read "Magic 'hands'" rather than 'magic hands'

 

I hope he runs. I think he will.

 

Sprinter Sacre ruled out

CHAMPION CHASE favourite Sprinter Sacre will not run at the Cheltenham Festival, trainer Nicky Henderson has told the Racing Post.

Henderson said Sprinter Sacre worked on Saturday with stablemate and Hennessy Gold Cup winner Triolo D'Alene but "is not showing the same brilliance as he did last season".

Sprinter Sacre was a brilliant 19-length winner of last season's Champion Chase and was an odds-on favourite to repeat his victory in this year's BetVictor-sponsored renewal.

The champion trainer told the Racing Post: "Sprinter's work over ten furlongs was all right, and with any other horse you'd think it was fine, but Sprinter is not showing the same brilliance as last season; he is just ten per cent short of that.

"Thankfully his heart is fine and there is no problem there."

Henderson added: "Having discussed options with [owners] Caroline and Raymond Mould, [work rider] Nico de Boinville, who has ridden him every morning for three seasons, and [vet] Celia Marr, who has been monitoring his heart, it was agreed that we should pull stumps for the time being.

"Now we will concentrate on getting Sprinter back next season to the same form he showed last season.

"The plan was to give Sprinter a racecourse gallop at the end of the week, and he still could, but at the back of our minds we know he's not performing to the level of which he is capable."

Sprinter Sacre, unbeaten over fences until his defeat at Kempton, was 4-5 favourite to win the BetVictor Champion Chase for a second time.

From Racing Post

 

HOpefully he will be back fighting fit for next season

 

Hope he's fit in a year. What a shame.

 

I absolutely love Sire De grugy but feel he may be worth taking on now at Cheltenham given his price will collapse. Hes had a few tough races this year and may be vulnerable. Benefficient may just be the horse to side with. Won the Jewson last year and like last year it has took a few runs to get him to peak condition

 

I wouldn't go piling into anything until nearer the day. Can see the headline now, "sprinter does a sparkling piece of work, so we have decided to run after all." lol

 

What a shame

 

Its a damn shame that he wont be there but the festival is bigger than 1 horse, so lets hope we have a good festival regardless of the 'Black Aeroplane'...

 

A real shame but if he is not right then it is the correct decision and hopefully for them will pay off in the long-run and perhaps even prolong his career.

Hope he gets well soon regardless!

 

a shame but definitely the best decision I think.

I was always a bit concerned about him running what would basically be his seasonal reappearance in the Champion Chase!

will be interesting to know the plans for him now though - I imagine he will be targeted at the Tingle Creek in December but will they try and get a run into him before then though?

anyway after the announcement from Nicky Henderson last week this wasn't the greatest surprise - I also had my first ante post Cheltenham bet last week on Sire de Grugy at 3/1

 

Reroute Al Ferof and let us all have a right old punt!!! Hinterland likely to run i would guess. Interesting!

 

Great shame that the ‘Black Aeroplane’ misses the Festival but undoubtedly the correct decision.

Without its leading equine star if asked to now sum up the Festival in one word my response would be ‘lacking’, I say, ‘lacking’. It’s now, I’m afraid, comparable to the FA Cup without The Arsenal, the Boat Race without Oxford or an episode of ‘Richard and Judy’ without Judy.

 

have got on Al Ferof @ this morning 7/1 NRNB! Bet Cue Card camp wish they had entered!!

 

Disappointing he won't be turning up I agree, but there are so many facinating races this year that the Festival won't be 'lacking' Barney old boy. If you think of the Champion hurdle, the Arkle which is an interesting race this year, whether Big Bucks can regain his crown, the possible gold cup match up between Bobs Worth and Conti, added to the fact that now the QMCC looks an open contest, I think it will be a great festival.

The quality may have been diluted somewhat if you compare it to last year, but there a some very competitive races for sure!

In this race I'm a little worried that my antepost bet on Al Ferof might be down the swanny, Hinterland and Sizing Europe would be interesting for me at bigger prices plus Benefficient (massively underated animal IMO)