Nicky hoping for Sacre outing

Nicky Henderson is keeping his fingers crossed that Ascot can defy the grip of the weather so that he can get a much needed runout for Sprinter Sacre on Saturday.

The Seven Barrows trainer wants to get just one run into the hot favourite for the Queen Mother Champion Chase and the timing of the Victor Chandler Chase is ideal ahead of Cheltenham in March.

Should Ascot be abandoned, it would give Henderson another headache, with the festival less than two months away.