Sprinter Sacre secures the first Tingle Creek Chase success for trainer, Nicky Henderson
After winning the first Grade 1 Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase for trainer, Nicky Henderson, Sprinter Sacre, is being put collar to collar with the now retired flat champion, Frankel. Right from the very beginning of the race, there was a marked difference
between the two super stars of the race and the rest of the line-up. The major two highlights of the race were some seven lengths clear of the five other contestants early in the field.
His Excellency tried in the opening furlongs of the race to set and then maintain the lead, but it was very easily taken away by the Paul Nicholls’ trained, Sanctuaire.
The mount of the jockey in red and pink jacket, Ruby Walsh, seemed like an effortless winner as he leapt neatly from one fence to the other, killing the difference to the wire.
If set hierarchically, the lead was maintained throughout the track by, Sanctuaire while Sprinter Sacre followed right behind obediently, as the rest of the participants struggled to get to the leading dual.
The market leader picked up the gear just when the final three fences of the track loomed in sight. Taking flight of the second last fence, Sprinter Sacre, led by five lengths and waved the prior leader goodbye, defeating him to the third position. He cornered
the Alan King trained, Kumbeshwar, into the second position by good fifteen lengths.
The extra ordinary ruling contender in the field did not let the jockey, Barry Geraghty, put in any effort, he just sat on the mount flying over the fences smoothly.
Henderson said: "Sanctuaire was always going to go a pace that would test anybody's fitness and that was a right, screaming Sandown two-mile chase.
"Barry said the ground was as soft as he would ever want to go on but he's just class. I would say he will go Victor Chandler and then Cheltenham."
The trainer of the third in line commented:
"He's run a nice enough race and we had to give it a try, but what's happened is what everyone expected to happen," he said. "He got tired, but he just wasn't good enough - it's as simple as that.”
After the Hennessy Gold Cup victory with the favourite, Bobs Worth, trainer, Nicky Henderson, is at the top of the world with another significant success.
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