Sprinter Sacre reigns in Kempton

Sprinter Sacre got the better of Sire De Grugy to clinch the Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.

Pulled up in this race two years ago and subsequently diagnosed with a fibrillating heart, it has been a long road back for Sprinter Sacre, but having looked back to his best when winning at Cheltenham last month, Nicky Henderson's pride and joy was the 8-11 favourite under Nico de Boinville.

The Gary Moore-trained Sire De Grugy, like Sprinter Sacre a former winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase, was similarly resurgent in the Tingle Creek at Sandown three weeks ago and was next best in the market at 11-4.

Jamie Moore appeared to make a deliberate effort to stretch the field by sending Sire De Grugy to the lead leaving the back straight, but De Boinville covered the move and swiftly allowed his mount to move ominously alongside.

Sprinter Sacre seemed to be going the better after jumping the third fence from the finish, but Sire De Grugy would not go down without a fight and maintained a small advantage approaching the last.

However, Sprinter Sacre produced a prodigious leap just when he needed one and after landing running, he galloped to the line to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

De Boinville said: "It was a very gutsy performance. We were spot on at the last and Jamie just missed it. He's a great horse.

"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.

"For any jockey this is why we do it, it was a tremendous race to be in. We know Sire De Grugy is a good horse in his own right, it was a great race."

Henderson said: "Today he had to be a completely different Sprinter. Two miles round here is just sharp enough for him, he had to go and lock horns with him at the last down the back and you couldn't just swing straight past him like he can on a stiffer track.

"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."