Kempton Horse Racing Live

Sprinter Sacre (right) and Sire De Grugy offering their particular all at Kempton

Report: Kempton, Sunday

williamhill.com Desert Orchid Chase (level 2) 2m, 4yo+

SPRINTER SACRE and Sire De Grugy served up a xmas cracker inside Desert Orchid Chase aided by the emphatic 2013 Champion Chase champion Sprinter Sacre showing battling attributes to suit his undoubted class to work aside a slim win.

Even though the performance might have been in short supply of imperious most readily useful, for a horse whose profession was almost over after he pulled up within race 2 yrs ago suffering with a fibrillating heart, there have been numerous positives to take while he place it all exactly in danger to overhaul the equally difficult 2014 Champion Chase champion from the last.

With Cheltenham Festival favourite striking the deck on his go back to activity at Leopardstown earlier in the day, the doorway had been ajar for just one of this Desert Orchid contenders to stake a claim for Betway Champion Chase name.

However, while ended up being cut to 7-1 (from 12) to regain the top with Paddy Power, the same firm eased Sprinter Sacre to 7-2 (from 3) to duplicate their 2013 heroics come March, with Un De Sceaux a top-priced 7-4 favourite.

'Blessed he is within one-piece'

"It was a really gutsy performance, " ended up being winning driver Nico de Boinville's initial effect. "Sire De Grugy pressed all of us just how. We were spot-on within final and Jamie Moore has just missed it. It was a sensational performance from a great horse."

He included: "I would state we had been a little below that performance at Cheltenham [last time] but he showed he has heart as well as class. Everyday this horse runs and sets up great shows that way you almost feel blessed he's within one piece and winning events."

All to relax and play for during the last

With Sire De Grugy's contacts mindful that conditions may have been even more in Sprinter Sacre's favor than their very own, rider Jamie Moore ended up being determined to make it a real test and forced on after a robust leap six away.

De Boinville had been alive toward technique and introduced Sprinter Sacre towards outside and was almost on terms after the fifth at home with Vibrato Valtat squeezing within the internal whilst the axioms put their particular heads down and headed for house.

Sprinter Sacre seemed becoming going most readily useful but Sire De Grugy kept finding for Moore and between the 3rd and second-last it seemed as though he may be about to break their competitor's resolve.

But while Sire De Grugy was at tight at final, Sprinter Sacre came up big for De Boinville and, with momentum on his part, he eased ahead busy towards line for a gutsy victory.

'Another advance'

"i obtained the sensation two kilometers around the following is sharp adequate for him, " said winning trainer Nicky Henderson. "He cannot sweep past all of them like they can on a stiffer track. He's got the capacity to gallop relentlessly at good speed and also this track probably simply caught him out just a little. I thought the other horse ended up being obtaining the most useful of things but he came ultimately back and fought.