Nicky Henderson is looking forward to sending Sprinter Sacre in search of a second Queen Mother Champion Chase success.
Sprinter Sacre was a dominant winner of the 2013 renewal, but after over a year off the track he was pulled up behind Dodging Bullets 12 months ago.
He was then second to Special Tiara at Sandown, but has returned in fine form this season, winning the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham and then getting the better of 2014 Champion Chase hero Sire De Grugy at Kempton over Christmas.
Henderson has purposefully kept Sprinter Scare off the track since that Desert Orchid Chase success and is now ready to take on the likes of Un De Sceaux at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
“It had to happen that day, it was vital to be honest as we were struggling to get it back for a couple of years,” Henderson told Racing UK when reflecting on Sprinter Sacre’s return in the Shloer Chase. “It’s been tough.
“It had to be there, he was and it was great. Now we face another step up the mountain again. We’re very happy at the moment with what’s going on, so we’ll see.
“Un De Sceaux will give us a good lead, and Special Tiara is there as well, so it will be a fierce old gallop and that suits him as well.
“Good ground is pretty important. He’s a good horse on soft ground, but he’s a very good horse on good ground.
“We knew what we’re going to do. It was so bad over Christmas, and bad in November, December and January, there was never a question of trying to run him again, so we took January out. His work on Saturday was excellent, so here we go.”
