Racing

Sprinter Sacre still aiming for Cheltenham

Nicky Henderson’s star chaser among entries for Queen Mother Champion Chase

Barry Geraghty riding Sprinter Sacre in The williamhill.com Desert Orchid Steeple Chase at Kempton Park on December 27th. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Barry Geraghty riding Sprinter Sacre in The williamhill.com Desert Orchid Steeple Chase at Kempton Park on December 27th. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Thu Jan 09 2014 - 13:46

Sprinter Sacre features among 26 entries for the BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on March 12th.

Nicky Henderson’s superstar has questions to answer after being diagnosed with a fibrillating heart on his first start of the season when pulled up at Kempton.

While his participation is still in the balance, last year’s winner remains the standout contender.

Henderson has also entered Captain Conan, Kid Cassidy and French Opera.

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Paul Nicholls has given King George third Al Ferof the option and has also entered his top-class novices Dodging Bullets and Hinterland.

Sire De Grugy took advantage of Sprinter Sacre's ailments at Christmas and is a possible for Gary Moore, while former winner Sizing Europe could have another crack for Henry de Bromhead, who has also entered Special Tiara.

Last year's Arkle runner-up Baily Green, Tony Martin's Benefficient, Willie Mullins' pair of Arvika Ligeonniere and Twinlight and John Hanlon's Hidden Cyclone are all also engaged.

One notable omission is Colin Tizzard’s Betfair Chase winner Cue Card, but he has been entered in the Ryanair Chase.

De Bromhead has also entered the veteran Sizing Europe in the Ryanair and he will now head straight to the Festival after disappointing at Leopardstown over Christmas.

“Hopefully, Sizing Europe will run in either the Queen Mother Champion Chase or the Ryanair Chase. They are provisional entries and we are not leaning either way at this stage,” said De Bromhead.

“He has been fine since his run at Leopardstown. He was a little disappointing and didn’t really attack his fences as he normally does, but there were various reasons, with the ground being the main one. He will go straight to Cheltenham now and hopefully he can bounce back.”

Special Tiara beat Overturn in a Grade One at Aintree last spring and finished third behind Kid Cassidy and Sire De Grugy at Cheltenham last time out.

“The Champion Chase is a race we are very much looking at for Special Tiara. We were delighted with his run at Cheltenham where the ground there was still a little bit soft for him,” said De Bromhead.

“He has been in great form since then and we were going to run him at Christmas, but the ground went against him everywhere, so we decided to wait.

"He's in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot next Saturday (January 18th) and he might go there depending on ground or otherwise he will run in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown at the beginning of February."