Nicky Henderson can’t control his tears as injury ends Sprinter Sacre’s amazing career and fragile grey Simonsig is put down after leg break
Veteran trainer distraught after sad day at Cheltenham just gets worse as he pays tribute to two popular horses
TEARS come easy to Nicky Henderson.
Yesterday at Cheltenham he was in danger of drowning in them.
His eyes glistened with emotion as he announced Sprinter Sacre’s fabulous racing career was over due to the tiniest of tendon injuries.
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Later in the day there would be no holding back the tears when his fragile grey Simonsig broke a leg and had to be put down.
It was, understandably, too much for him to take.
Henderson, 65, is emotional at the best of times. This was very much the worst of times.
He said: “It’s not fair for the team more than anything. It was a hind leg. I thought he was all right when he got up. I can’t get this right.
“You have tears in every single way. You all know what the game is like. It tests us.”
Ever-popular Henderson had just finished fondly remembering the great days of one of the greatest.
He said: “Sprinter Sacre was the horse of a lifetime.
"It has been an emotional rollercoaster for a very long time. His first two years over fences, he could do things other horse couldn’t. He was unbeatable then — he was invincible.”
Super Sprinter notched up a perfect 10 wins including an easy Arkle win and a stunning 19-length Champion Chase romp. He was untouchable.
Jump racing fans fall in love easily. They had long since lost their heart to Sprinter Sacre.
But it was problems with his own heart that halted his domination.
He was pulled up at Kempton in 2013 with an irregular heartbeat and was off the track for more than a year. When he did reappear at first he was a shadow of the king he had been.
The calls for him to be retired came from all quarters. But Henderson kept the faith.
And it was one of the greatest feats from a trainer of rare skill to win all four of his races — including a second Champion Chase — with him last season.
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Henderson watched Sprinter Sacre parade in front of his adoring fans yesterday before the Shloer Chase he had won 12 months ago.
He said: “In terms of emotion last year took us all to the brink. We are going to miss him.”
Sprinter Sacre gets a happy retirement. Poor Simonsig does not.
The 2013 Arkle hero suffered a third-fence fall and was put down.
When dashing grey Simonsig is remembered it will be a case of what might have been.
With Sprinter Sacre it will be as one of the true chasing greats.