Sprinter Sacre could run in Game Spirit Chase at Newbury

Nicky Henderson on Wednesday announced that 2012 Arkle Chase favourite Sprinter Sacre could run in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury in February rather than the more obvious route of the Kingmaker Chase at Warwick as part of his preparation for the Cheltenham Festival.

A winner of the Wayward Lad at Kempton on December 27, Sprinter Sacre is as short as 9-4 for the festival race on the back of his 16-length defeat of Peddlers Cross and he is also one of the leading lights for the Cheltenham Festival horse racing betting.

Options at Warwick and Doncaster against fellow novices had been mooted, but Henderson believes he would learn plenty from taking on two horses in the Grade Two event.

Henderson told Racing UK: "It has actually crossed our minds that we could switch Sprinter Sacre from Warwick to the Game Spirit. Experience is what he needs. Going around on his own isn't going to teach him anything."

"The Doncaster race clashes with Cheltenham and the Warwick one we'll be at Newbury that day. It fits in quite well and I like the idea. It was actually Barry's (Geraghty) idea, probably to make sure he could ride him! But when I thought about it, it was a better idea than I'd originally thought."