Henderson suffers throughout as Sprinter Sacre shows supremacy

His eighth successive win over fences, this was a career-best performance by Nicky Henderson’s stable star who was sublime in beating Sizing Europe – the former champion – by 19 lengths.

It is a measure of Sprinter Sacre’s prowess that Henderson could barely bring himself to watch the race through his binoculars and had to rely on the raucous roar of the crowd for confirmation that Barry Geraghty’s mount had cleared the last safely.

The superlatives were flying before Sprinter Sacre had been eased down in the shadow of the finishing post.

And while few words can do justice to the equine athleticism of a horse that has been compared favourably to ‘Frankel over fences’, the hype does require one piece of historical context.

Michael Dickinson’s Badsworth Boy galloped clear to win his first Champion Chase 30 years ago by 35 lengths – and then won the next two renewals – to become the only three-time winner of this celebrated championship.

From a Yorkshire perspective, Sprinter Sacre still has more to produce.

But it is difficult to see a horse who will be good enough to take on the champion in the next couple of seasons.

As such, the biggest risk to the gelding could be his own athleticism rather than a rival racehorse.

It is easy to see why Sprinter 
Sacre has gained the moniker “the big, black aeroplane” over recent seasons.

The Caroline Mould-owned chaser evoked memories of two-mile greats such as Moscow Flyer with some extraordinary leaps.

Henderson’s inmate was in third for most of the early exchanges as the supplemented Mail De Bievre and Sizing Europe took the field along at a moderate pace.

Sizing Europe took the lead four out, but was swiftly joined by the ultimate winner at the next fence.

There was little in it at that stage, but that was as close as the race came to being a genuine contest.

A big jump at the penultimate fence sealed the deal as Geraghty’s companion sauntered clear without coming off the bridle.

A fifth win in this race for Geraghty, equalling the record of Arkle’s jockey Pat Taaffe, it was Henderson’s 49th Festival success and his reaction was indicative of a man simply relieved that his stable star had emerged unscathed from his toughest test yet.

“That was probably the worst five minutes of my life,” said Henderson, who has now moved clear of Paul Nicholls in the race to be champion trainer.

“Hopefully Barry had fun, but I’m glad it’s over. It does leave you speechless. What he looks like, and what he does at home, is one thing, but what he does out there is something totally unique.

“He just has that way of doing it. He finds it ridiculously easy – he just loves doing it. I hope people have enjoyed watching him. I didn’t.”

On the day when Sprinter Sacre confirmed his championship credentials, The New One’s heartwarming victory in the Neptune Investment Hurdle suggested that he could become a standard-bearer for the ever popular Twiston-Davies team.

The stable endured a torrid preparation for this year’s showpiece meeting following the withdrawal of Gold Cup candidate 
Imperial Commander due to a lung infection.

Nigel Twiston-Davies was also forced to scratch three other Festival hopefuls due to a bug.

However, The New One could not have looked in ruder health as he clinically despatched a strong field following a fine ride by the trainer’s son Sam; the heavily-backed Pont Alexandre could only finish third.

Twiston-Davies junior had learned from the horse’s prep race at Cheltenham in late January when he hit the front too soon and was beaten by a Tony McCoy-inspired At Fishers Cross who, on this form, will be an even shorter favourite for tomorrow’s Albert Bartlett Hurdle.

It was the young rider’s first Festival winner as a professional – his only previous triumph came as an amateur rider in 2010 on the day that Imperial Commander won the Gold Cup for the family.

“This is him in his full glory,” said Twiston-Davies as he embraced his winning mount. “He jumped brilliant and travelled away great. You won’t get a much better feeling than that. It was absolute class.”

For once, there were no barbed comments between the jockey and his father, who had run down the horsewalk to greet The New One and his victorious son.

“It’s wonderful and when it’s all in the family it makes it even better,” he said. “Rock On Ruby went from this race to the Champion Hurdle and it’s definitely possible he’s a Champion Hurdle horse.”

Earlier trainer Willie Mullins and his amateur rider son Patrick teamed up to take the John Oaksey National Hunt Chase with Back In Focus.

It was a fourth winner this week for Mullins senior whose luck did run out in the RSA Chase when Boston Bob fell at the last with the race at his mercy. The race went to Lord Windermere, whose trainer Jim Culloty rode Best Mate to his three Gold Cups a decade ago.

Mullins was soon compensated when 25-1 shot Briar Hill won the Bumper for future champions under Ruby Walsh.

The New One, Lord Windermere and Briar Hill are all exciting prospects, but it will take an exceptional horse to match Sprinter Sacre in the coming years.