Sprinter Sacre digs deep to beat Sire de Grugy at Kempton

Sprinter Sacre displayed heart as well as class to thwart Sire de Grugy in a gripping duel of former Champion Chase winners at Kempton racecourse on Sunday.

Nicky Henderson's charge was returning to the scene of his heart scare two years ago which stopped his brilliant career in its tracks.

But after an emphatic comeback at Cheltenham last month his rehabilitation continued, the 2013 Champion Chase winner outpointing the 2014 winner in the Grade Two Desert Orchid Chase.

Nico de Boinville's mount started at odds-on to land the spoils, and was neck and neck with Sire de Grugy rounding the home turn with two fences to jump at the course southwest of London.

The pair took off at the last side by side, Sprinter Sacre landing the better of the pair to score by three quarters of a length.

"Today he had to be a completely different Sprinter," Henderson told Channel 4.

The trainer added: "There was just that concern about coming back to Kempton, but you'd have to say his heart and everything was in that all right. He was really good and Nico gave him a lovely ride.

"They had to be very brave at the last, but he's that sort of horse - he's got the class but sometimes you have to tough it out as well."

De Boinville reflected: "I'd say we were a bit below the Cheltenham run, but still he showed he's got heart as well as class.

"Every day this horse runs and puts up good performance like that we feel blessed that we are here in one piece and running good races."

Sprinter Sacre is 4-1 second favourite to regain his Cheltenham crown in March with the market headed by Un De Sceaux, a faller at Leopardstown earlier in the day, a best priced 7-4.
Source: AFP