Sprinter Sacre goes back to school at Newbury
Off the track since suffering a well-publicised heart problem in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton last Christmas, the seven-times Grade One-winning chaser was joined by stable companion Tanks For That for his return to the track.
Tanks For That, ridden by Sprinter Sacre’s normal work rider Nico de Boinville, predictably gave his illustrious stable companion a lead.
Sprinter Sacre jumped the first of five fences down the back straight with aplomb under Barry Geraghty, but he took off a long way from the second fence, an open ditch, and dragged his back legs through the obstacle.
That, however, was the only semblance of a mistake from the eight-year-old, who cruised alongside his stablemate after turning into the home straight and comfortably drew clear to complete the workout.
Henderson, who was in a Jeep following the workout, said: “That was very good from where I was watching.
“Barry seemed happy and Celia Marr (veterinary expert) seemed happy.
“That was great and I’m very grateful to Newbury.
“It was a massive step in the right direction three weeks ahead of the Clarence House Chase at Ascot.”
Geraghty said: “He was full of himself.
“You don’t want to be looking for a big one at the second fence, but he took it on and he pinged it.
“He landed on it a little bit, but it’s a good sign that he’s full of himself.
“He jumped the next three brilliantly and swung down the straight nicely. He felt good.
“He’ll improve for it (the gallop). The ground is soft and it’s hard work. He’ll have another couple of bits of work before Ascot, but he’s well on the way.
“You can never take it for granted when you’ve been through what he’s been through, so I was mindful of that, but you couldn’t have asked for any more or for him to show better signs than he did.
“Hopefully it stays that way for years.”
Henderson believes there is finally “some pretty good light at the end of this tunnel’ as Sprinter Sacre strives to prove his fitness for the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The Seven Barrows handler said: “That was testing ground, but he was very fresh.
“Both of them had a good blow and I just hope the timing is right for January 17.
“We decided that Tanks (For That) would lead him until they got into the straight.
“He galloped away well and he finished well.
“Recently after the horse has worked I’ve been getting a big smile from Nico when he comes back in, which is what I want to see.
“We’ve had no issues with his heart – that has been 100 per cent – but he did have an horrendous experience at Kempton and we were worried it would have left a scar.
“It leaves a scar with a lot of horses, but we just had to be sure that when we brought him back it was on an actual raceday. You could see he was quite fired up.
“We’re very lucky to have one like him. When it was all going so smoothly and it was Grade One after Grade One, the public were getting more and more attached him and he was becoming a sort of icon to this great game – that was wonderful.
“But, if you’re going to have the great days, you have to suffer the dark ones as well and we’ve been through it.
“There is some pretty good light at the end of this tunnel, I hope, and, for everybody’s sake, I seriously hope he can get there (Cheltenham).
“He is special.”
