Monday 10 October 2016 16:56, UK
Sprinter Sacre is likely to have just two starts before defending his Champion Chase crown at the Cheltenham Festival - starting with an outing in the Tingle Creek at Sandown.
Trainer Nicky Henderson has elected to bypass next month's Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, a race the 10-year-old won on seasonal return last term after almost two years in the wilderness, in favour of heading straight for the two-mile Grade One prize at Sandown on December 3.
After his comeback win at Cheltenham in November, Sprinter Sacre enjoyed a fairytale campaign which ended with Grade One glory in the Champion Chase and the Celebration Chase at Sandown.
"Sprinter was unbelievable. It was something else. I think everyone enjoyed it more than I did," Henderson told Press Association Sport.
"He is back here again and is in good form. If he says he wants to do it again, we will do it again.
"He is going straight to the Tingle Creek. The Shloer comes three weeks before and that would be too close for him. He is not going to have many races this season, I wouldn't think.
"I should say that would be the idea the Tingle Creek, Ascot (Clarence House) and Cheltenham. I should think we will also give the Desert Orchid a miss this year, too."
While the Shloer Chase may not be on the agenda for Sprinter Sacre, the Seven Barrows handler plans to use the Grade Two contest on November 13 as a seasonal opener for the talented-but-fragile Simonsig.
Henderson added: "He is cantering away and is good. We are trying get him ready for the Shloer which he would probably do if we didn't have hiccup.
"He is so injury and accident health prone. The Shloer would be the obvious one to start him in that Sprinter is not going there."
Dual Grade One-winning hurdler My Tent Or Yours looks set to miss his intended return in a two-mile Listed hurdle at Kempton on Sunday on account of the quick ground.
The JP McManus-owned nine-year-old returned from almost two years off to finish second in the Champion Hurdle in March before taking minor honours in Grade One races at Aintree and Punchestown.
Henderson said: "My Tent Or Yours is good. The plan is to go to Kempton on Sunday, but that is looking unlikely at the moment because we are pretty sure there is no rain forecast for the week."
