Irish Saint can stake Triumph Hurdle claim

A week ago I said here that the only way Sanctuaire could beat Sprinter Sacre in the Victor Chandler at Ascot, which was postponed and subsequently rescheduled to Cheltenham this afternoon, was if Nicky Henderson’s headman forgot to load their horse into the box.

Well, I haven’t changed my mind, although I’ll be doing everything I can today to beat Sprinter Sacre. Nicky’s seven-year-old is a terrific horse and again hardly broke sweat to score at Sandown on his latest appearance.

I rode Sanctuare to finish third that day and there is simply no escaping the fact Sprinter Sacre beat us nineteen and a half lengths.