SACRE HEADS CHAMPION CHASE 17 OPTIONS OPEN FOR SIZING EUROPE Jump racingâs rising star Sprinter Sacre heads 17 entries for the £350,000 Grade One Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase over two miles, the feature race on day two of The Festival, Ladies Day, Wednesday, March 13. Nicky Hendersonâs performer enjoyed an unbeaten novice chase campaign which culminated with a faultless sevenlength success over Cue Card in the Racing Post Arkle Chase at The Festival last year and another easy Grade One triumph at Aintree. The seven-year-old started this season in breathtaking fashion when thrashing Kumbeshwar and Sanctuaire by at least 15 lengths in the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park in December. Sprinter Sacre is a 4/9 chance with the sponsor to win for a second time at The Festival. Henderson is also responsible for the reigning two-mile champion chaser Finianâs Rainbow and exciting novice Simonsig, who is currently favourite for the Racing Post Arkle Chase. The four Irish-trained entries in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase are headed by the 2011 victor and 2012 runner-up Sizing Europe. Henry de Bromheadâs 11-year-old made it three from three this season with a comfortable success over Rubi Light in the Grade One Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on December 27. Sizing Europeâs trainer Henry de Bromhead said today: âThe sportingbet.com Champion Chase is a race we are looking at for Sizing Europe. He has been entered in the Ryanair and the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup too and we just want to keep our options open at this stage. âHe seems in great form at the moment and we have been delighted with his performances this season. His win at Clonmel was very impressive. âIâd imagine he will have one more race before The Festival and we are looking at the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown in early February.â The talented Flemenstar, who also holds an entry in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase, has the option of going for the two-mile championship event instead.
THE SPORTINGBET QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE Class 1, Grade 1, 2m, £350,000 Total Prize Fund. Cheltenham, Wednesday, March 13, 2013. For 5yo+ which are allotted a rating of 130 or more by the BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including March 6 - horses which are not qualified for a rating in Great Britain, Ireland or France may also be entered & such horses may be eligible providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horseâs racecourse performances up to and including March 6 would merit a minimum rating of 130 (the decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final). Weights: 11st 10lb. Allowances: mares 7lb. Entries closed January 8, entries revealed January 10 (17 entries), scratchingsâ deadline February 12, £17,500 supplementary entry & six-day confirmation stage March 7. Final 48-hour declaration stage, 10am, March 11. Form figures supplied by Weatherbys and are correct up to and including the racing of Tuesday, January 8. Form Horse Age Owner Trainer U212-15 CUE CARD 7 Jean Bishop Colin Tizzard 216-223 EDGARDO SOL (FR) 6 Axom XXXII Paul Nicholls 1/1211-4 FINIAN'S RAINBOW (IRE) 10 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson 111-113 FLEMENSTAR (IRE) 8 Stephen Curran Peter Casey IRE P0FP-P0 FREE WORLD (FR) 9 Magdalena Gut Tim Vaughan F-2F122 KUMBESHWAR 6 McNeill Family & Nigel Bunter Alan King 52-0442 REALT DUBH (IRE) 9 Derek Sharkey Noel Meade IRE 2154-32 RUBI LIGHT (FR) 8 Bill Hennessy Robert Hennessy IRE 5111-31 SANCTUAIRE (FR) 7 Potensis Limited & Chris Giles Paul Nicholls 202211 SHOOTERS WOOD (IRE) 9 William Harrison-Allan Paul Nicholls 2111-11 SIMONSIG 7 Ronnie Bartlett Nicky Henderson 121-111 SIZING EUROPE (IRE) 11 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE 224102- SOMERSBY (IRE) 9 Camilla Radford Mick Channon 11111-1 SPRINTER SACRE (FR) 7 Caroline Mould Nicky Henderson 1/35/1-50 TATANIANO (FR) 9 The Stewart Family Richard Rowe 0111/-11 WILLIAM'S WISHES (IRE) 8 Mrs D E Cheshire Evan Williams F25-214 WISHFULL THINKING 10 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs 17 entries 4 Irish-trained Latest prices from Sportingbet: 4/9 Sprinter Sacre; 9/2 Flemenstar; 7/1 Sizing Europe; 9/1 Finian's Rainbow; 10/1 Sanctuaire; 14/1 Cue Card; 25/1 Rubi Light, Somersby, Williams Wishes; 33/1 Realt Dubh, Wishfull Thinking; 40/1 Shooters Wood; 50/1 Edgardo Sol, Kumbeshwar; 80/1 Free World; 100/1 Tataniano Not Quoted: Simonsig
