Sprinter Sacre’s facile success in the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase proved the highlight of a four-timer for trainer Nicky Henderson at Sandown.

The one certainty about the Tingle Creek at Sandown today is that it is going to be spectacular.

Sprinter Sacre is officially the best novice chaser of this millennium, following a “bizarre” and “extraordinary” year in his two-mile division.

Nicky Henderson believes he has Binocular in the best possible shape to retain his williamhill.com Christmas Hurdle title on St Stephen's Day.

I KNOW the Paddy Power at Cheltenham today is the major contest of the weekend, but let’s start with the horse I consider my best ride over the two days, Hinterland in the first, a three-year-old hurdle.

I SUPPOSE people may be a little surprised at my choice of ride, Shakervilz, in Monday’s Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Sanctuaire showed he had become the latest member of the Paul Nicholls team to have benefited from a breathing operation when bouncing back to his best in the Isle of Skye Blended Whisky Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr today.

A WEEK ago The Midnight Club and I managed to negotiate those Grand National fences at Aintree, admittedly in our own good time, and today it’s a case of trying to do a lot better in the Scotttish equivalent at Ayr.

Robert Thornton was the happiest man on the racecourse at Exeter as he completed his miraculous return to the saddle.

THE Aintree Grand National reminds me of JFK or Elvis. People remember where they were when they heard that the American president had been shot dead in Dallas in 1963. It’s the same with the news that The King had passed away 14 years later.

GLANCING back at the week at Cheltenham, you would have to accept there were two very big disappointments for me, Kauto Star in the Gold Cup yesterday and Master Minded in the Champion Chase.

I’M as confident as I can be heading into a Grade 1 that Master Minded will have all the answers in the Queen Mother Champion Chase today.

Bothy maintained his unbeaten record over timber and qualified himself for the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with a second success at Taunton.