Sprinter Sacre set for starring role on Tingle Creek day

Two-mile great will parade before Sandown feature.

Sprinter Sacre will be paraded at Sandown next month to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his memorable victory in the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase.

Nicky Henderson’s charge is undoubtedly one of the greatest two-mile chasers of the modern era, winning 18 of his 24 career starts.

His illustrious CV includes two victories in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham, but he was perhaps never more impressive than when slamming his rivals by upwards of 15 lengths in the 2012 Tingle Creek under Barry Geraghty.

“In a way it does and in a way it doesn’t feel like 10 years since his win. It seems like a lifetime ago, but it’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years all the same,” said Geraghty.

Sprinter Sacre with jockey Barry Geraghty and trainer Nicky Henderson at Sandown
Sprinter Sacre with jockey Barry Geraghty and trainer Nicky Henderson at Sandown (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“He just showed incredible speed that day and we went some gallop. Ruby (Walsh) really served it up on Sanctuaire and that was their line of attack. The ground was very soft that day and they served it up, Ruby and Paul (Nicholls) wanted to find Sprinter out on that ground and they went hard.

“I was happy at all stages and jumping the water jump the leader had a good stretch on us, but I could feel my fella coming to life underneath me and by the time I’d jumped the last, I was well in command.

“We’d been looking at him a while ourselves and thinking that this was the second coming, he was brilliant in his novice season but he had to do it in open company. I rode him the way I did though because of the confidence we had in him and we knew we could rely on him.

“In terms of performances this lad went to the line in a Tingle Creek pulling a cart, it was fabulous.”

Now 16 years old, Sprinter Sacre spends his retirement in the Cotswolds with Vicki Roberts, who will accompany him when he leads the Tingle Creek runners onto the course on December 3.

Geraghty, who retired from the saddle, rode a total of four Tingle Creek winners, with the great Moscow Flyer claiming back-to-back renewals in 2003 and 2004 and Defi Du Seuil striking gold in 2019.

He added: “I love the Tingle Creek. Sandown is a brilliant track and that race is a classic over the jumps. I remember saying that when I came back in after winning on Defi Du Seuil, it’s one of the prizes you long to take and doing it on Sprinter was a lovely day.

“I’m not sure I’ll be over unfortunately, but it’s fantastic to hear that Sprinter will be there and I’ll be watching it from afar for sure.”

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