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Cheltenham Festival 2013
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Sprinter Sacre Tops 10 Remaining in Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase 08/03/13
Nicky Henderson's jumping superstar Sprinter Sacre heads the 10 contenders for the 365,760 Grade One Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.20pm), the highlight of Ladies Day, Wednesday, March 13.
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Sprinter Sacre won all five of his starts over fences last season, including the Grade One Sizing Europe last year in an epic duel up the famous Cheltenham hill. He has been disappointing this season, trailing home last in both his starts at Ascot, while Sizing Europe is unbeaten in five starts since last year's Festival, bagging two Grade Ones and three Grade Twos in Ireland for trainer Henry de Bromhead.
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He made his debut for George in the Grade Two Denman Chase at Newbury on February 9, and, despite catching the eye with his excellent jumping when setting a strong pace, failed to stay the three-mile trip, coming home fifth.
George revealed: "Mail De Bievre's preparation has gone very well since his run at Newbury. We feel he has improved and is right where we want him.
"It was his first run for a year and a half and he shaped like a horse who needed the run. He's entitled to come on for it and I would not be worried about the bounce factor.
"Paddy (Brennan) was very impressed with him at Newbury and said he was never out of second gear, but you can not sustain that pace over three miles and he did very well to last for as long as he did.
"He has an unbelievably high cruising speed and he is a very exuberant jumper so that is why we wanted to come right back to two miles. It looks like everyone is playing for second behind Sprinter Sacre and we feel we have the horse that could fill that spot.
"We schooled him on better ground two days ago and Paddy felt he really enjoyed it. He is a really good mover but I don't think ground really matters to him."
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GOING
The going at Cheltenham is currently Good to Soft on both the Chase and Hurdles Courses, and Good to Soft, Soft in Places on the Cross Country Course, after four millimetres of rain today, Thursday, March 7.
Simon Claisse, Head of Racing, South West Region & Cheltenham's Clerk of the Course, commented: "We have had four millimetres of rain today and we are now expecting up to 10 millimetres before The Festival.
"There is no change from the forecast yesterday in that it will be frosty on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week."
