Sacre ‘not quite ready’ for Sandown

Sprinter Sacre will not make his return to action in the 888sport Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday week.

Nicky Henderson’s superstar two-miler has not run since being pulled up by Barry Geraghty in the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton last Christmas, after which he was diagnosed with a heart problem, which has since been rectified.

Speaking at Newbury, the Seven Barrows trainer said: “With everything that is going on and the ground as much as anything, he’s not quite really there, so he won’t go Tingle Creeking. He will be strutting away at home and he’s fine, but he’s not quite ready.