As the final countdown begins to the 2015 Cheltenham Festival, the thrilling possibility of the last two winners of the feature Grade One Queen Mother Champion Chase going head-to-head on the second day of the four-day jumps extravaganza looms large.
At various times over the last year or so, such a match has been hard to imagine, with both horses going through a series of trials and tribulations that, thankfully, they both appear to have overcome. Sprinter Sacre, rated by many as being among the best chasers of all time and an imperious winner of the Champion Chase back in 2013, is reported by trainer Nicky Henderson to be giving every sign that he is coming back to his peak. He had a year on the sidelines following a heart irregularity that prompted him to pull up at Kempton in December 2013. But he made a satisfactory return to the fray at Ascot in January when runner-up to the smart Dodging Bullets in the Grade One Sodexo Clarence House Chase, a run that suggested he retains much of his old ability.
Sprinter Sacre has odds of 11/4 at the time of writing. These are odds that may very will shorten as the big race nears. His big rival is reigning Champion Chase hero Sire de Grugy, who is trained in Sussex by Gary Moore and undoubtedly the best jumps horse he has ever handled. The dashing chestnut took full advantage of the absence of Sprinter Sacre last season to totally dominate the two-mile chase division, culminating in a fine win in the big race last March where he beat old warrior Somersby by six lengths. It was one of four impressive Grade One successes from the nine-year-old last season.
by Carine06 Caption: Sire de Grugy has recovered from a hip injury
Sire de Grugy suffered a hip injury and made a belated seasonal reappearance at Newbury last month where he was under pressure when unseating Jamie Moore at the third last in the Grade Two Game Spirit Chase. Forced to look to a handicap to get his horse up to full race fitness, Moore ran the gelding off top weight against decent opposition at Chepstow two weeks later. He routed his rivals in a manner that suggested he is back to his best.
Sire de Grugy can still be backed at 10/3 in places, but again, those odds may well shorten as the last few days pass and punters see that the big match really is on.
Sprinter Sacre v Sire de Grugy – you pay your money and you make your choice.
(Title Image: Carine06)
