National Hunt fans will have one eye on the weather for the rest of this week in the hope that Saturday’s card at Ascot can go ahead. The meeting is not currently in danger but Nicky Henderson has warned that he will not risk stable star Sprinter Sacre on heavy ground. A final decision may be left as late as Saturday morning.
The gelding established himself as the best chaser in training in 2013 when romping to victory in the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham festival. He followed up at Aintree and Punchestown and only Arkle and Flyingbolt now stand above him in Timeform’s all-time steeplechase ratings.
There was media speculation that Henderson would be tempted to run him in the King George VI in 2014 but the Lambourn trainer decided to keep him to two miles. He suffered his first defeat over fences in unfortunate circumstances when pulled up at Kempton just over a year ago with a fibrillating heart. There were fears that we would not see him back on a racecourse but he has made a steady recovering under the finest veterinary care and attention.
Had it not been for his health problems, Sprinter Sacre would be long odds-on for Saturday’s Clarence House Chase. He is rated more than 20lbs higher than any of his five rivals but there are obviously going to be fitness concerns. Barry Geraghty seems confident that he is back to his best after riding him over five fences at Newbury after Christmas. Even so, he is not likely to push his ears off if he starts to labour in the closing stages.
With doubts still surrounding the participation of Sprinter Sacre, Dodging Bullets has been cut to a best price 7-4. He did this column a favour when landing the Grade 1 Tingle Creek Chase at rewarding odds and represents Paul Nicholls who has been successful four times in this race.
I fancied Dodging Bullets in last season’s Arkle but he had to settle for fourth place behind shock winner Western Warhorse. He shaped well when finishing second to Uxizandre at Cheltenham in November and that clearly sharpened him up for Sandown. He should confirm supremacy over Somersby who was two and a half lengths away in third and reaching the autumn of his career at ten years of age.
Willie Mullins is represented by Twinlight who beat Hidden Cyclone in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Chase last time. He is not the safest of jumpers and tends to jump out to his right. He made a couple of blunders at Kempton on his only previous trip. The race will lose a lot of its interest if Henderson pulls out Sprinter Sacre but Dodging Bullets can continue his progression towards the Champion Chase in March.
Dodging Bullets @7-4 Ladbrokes
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