SPRINTER SACRE CONFIRMED his mantle as the Frankel of jump racing todayas he strolled to victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
The seven year-old gelding — trained by veteran English handler Nicky Henderson — recorded his eighth win in eight starts over fences as he came home an astonishing 19 lengths clear under Barry Geraghty.
Sprinter Sacre – at 1/4 on the shortest priced winner at the Festival since Irish jumps legend Arkle 50 years ago – had never looked troubled throughout the two mile race and when he joined the 2011 winner Sizing Europe prior to the final bend there was only one winner.
Sizing Europe’s chances of upsetting the odds disappeared completely as he nearly fell on the flat turning into the straight but he recovered to at least take the runners-up spoils.
The manner of the victory left Henderson flabbergasted.
“It does make you speechless. Sprinter Sacre is scary. He has that aura about him and is totally and utterly unique,” said the 62-year-old, who holds the record for all-time wins at the Festival among still active trainers.
Geraghty was equally effusive in his praise.
“He is an unbelievable horse,” said the 33-year-old Irishman, who won his fifth Champion Chase. “To beat Sizing Europe the way he did was a remarkable performance. He was keen early on but settled down. He’s a class act. I think the ‘Frankel of jump racing’ is a fair way to describe him.”
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