Sacre to decide on future

Connections insist Sprinter Sacre will decide if he runs in the AP McCoy Celebration Chase at Sandown later this month.

The nine-year-old has been one of the best chasers of recent times but was pulled up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.

His failure to shine at Prestbury Park left many in the sport suggesting that it might be time for the son of Network to retire, and that is still an option.

But trainer Nicky Henderson is refusing to rule out anything at this stage as Sprinter Sacre has recovered well after his spin in Gloucestershire.

“It is only really an idea at this stage and he will only be going there if we’re very happy with him,” he said. “We still have two and a half weeks to go, but I have to say he really has bloomed since Cheltenham and looks a million dollars.”

And the Seven Barrows handler feels that his stable superstar will be the one that has the final decision on whether he runs at Sandown.

“If we are going to run him again, there is only one opportunity to do so and the horse will tell me whether he wants to do it or not,” he added.

“At the moment, the vibes are good. If he tells me he wants to go to Sandown he will and if he tells me he doesn’t he won’t.

“The horse will make the final decision. Whether he makes the right decision or not is another thing.”