Thursday, March 14, 2013
Sprinter Sacre draws Frankel comparisons at Cheltenham
LONDON (Reuters) - Winning jockey Barry Geraghty described Sprinter Sacre as the "Frankel of jump racing" after a scintillating Queen Mother Champion Chase victory, the highlight of the second day of the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.
The seven-year-old cruised to a 19-length success over Sizing Europe, twice a Festival winner, in the two-mile contest.
Barry Geraghty on Sanctuaire celebrates after winning the Queen Mother Champion Steeple Chase at the Cheltenham Festival horse racing meet in Gloucestershire, western England, March 13, 2013. REUTERS/Stefan WermuthHis stamp of authority drew comparisons with Frankel, who retired unbeaten last year after winning 14 flat races and is the highest-rated horse in the modern era.
"He's a class act. I think the 'Frankel of jump racing' is a fair way to describe him," Irishman Geraghty told reporters.
The 1-4 favourite became the shortest-priced Festival winner since Arkle won his third Gold Cup at odds of 1-10 in 1966.
"It was like Barry Geraghty pressed the accelerator on a sports car. It was one of the most wonderful things I have seen in sport," said winning trainer Nicky Henderson.
"It does make you speechless. Sprinter Sacre is scary. He has that aura about him and is totally and utterly unique.
"He finds it ridiculously easy - he just loves doing it."
(Writing by Justin Palmer, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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