Sprinter Sacre a class apart
While Nicky Henderson’s exceptional gelding finished 2lb shy of the now-retired Kauto Star’s 190 in the 2009-10 season, the record in the 14 years of the rankings, he is 8lb clear of his stablemate and Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth.
British Horseracing Authority handicapper BHA handicapper John de Moraville gave Sprinter Sacre (pictured) 188 for his performances in both the Queen Mother Champion Chase and on his first attempt at two and a half miles in the Melling Chase at Aintree.
He said: “When Sprinter Sacre was a novice he was rated 169, which was a record, and he more than lived up to expectations. He’s the highest two-miler chaser in the classifications.
“He was breathtaking at Cheltenham and Aintree, less so at Punchestown but still ran to 178, which in many years would be enough to make him champion anyway.
“It must be remembered Moscow Flyer attempted the same feat of Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown and was beaten at Punchestown by Rathgar Beau in a photo-finish, and he was rated 157.
“He’s still only seven, and how good can he be?”
Phil Smith, the BHA’S senior handicapper, said: “His performance at Punchestown reminded me of Frankel in the Champion Stakes.
“It’s the sign of a top-quality horse when you still get it done when circumstances are against you.
“It will be interesting to see what Nicky Henderson will do with Simonsig (top novice on 162) as they will surely have to come up against each other at some point.”
Sprinter Sacre will only be able to achieve a rating of 190-plus if beating higher-rated horses, or managing an even greater winning distance, but Smith said: “It’s going to be very difficult to do so.”
Hurricane Fly has been rated the second-best hurdler in the 14-year history of the Anglo-Irish Jump Classification.
The star of Willie Mullins’ phenomenal team, Hurricane Fly regained his Champion Hurdle crown and his rating of 175 is just 1lb short of the 176 achieved on two occasions by Istabraq, who is regarded as one of the very best of all time.
As well as being the leading two-miler, Hurricane Fly was the top overall hurdler as he was 1lb ahead of supreme stayer Big Buck’s, who is yet to achieve a greater rating than 174 and only raced once last season because of injury.
However, the jury of senior British Horseracing Authority handicappers and their Irish counterparts believe Hurricane Fly will face a severe challenge from what they view was an unprecedented standard of up-and-coming novices.
Irish handicapper Noel O’Brien said: “Hurricane Fly is an outstanding hurdler of this or any other generation and he has only met with defeat twice since arriving from France – once to Solwhit, who he beat the next four times, and once in last year’s Champion Hurdle when he wasn’t himself.
“Despite winning two Champion Hurdles, Cheltenham isn’t his track and I believe he won despite Cheltenham.
“The Hurricane Fly we see in Ireland is astonishing and I thought his defeat of Thousand Stars at Punchestown was breathtaking.
“You can only beat what’s put in front of you, and his 175 rating from Punchestown I believe is justified.
“He continues to improve at the age of nine, but he comes into a challenging time with the novices.”
