Can Sprinter Sacre have a thread for himself this season 2016-2017 / please

Just hope he and Douvan get there in top form and unbeaten and impressive through the season (even if that means just one race for SS) - will be the race of the festival for sure. In that eventuality the 5/1 looks way too big for what looks to all intents and purposes, even at this early stage, a two horse race.

Moscow Flyer won it as an eleven year old so age isn't necessary a barrier.

I think properly soft ground would bring Un De Sceaux in the mix, but anything with "good" in the description, he might as well stay at home.

Agreed,Sprinter is definitely overpriced.And we don't know how good Douvan really is.I wonder how close vaniteux would have got to him in the arkle.

Douvans time was very good in the Arkle which suggests he is as good as he looks, but whether that would beat a fully on song Sprnter Sacre is another matter - he's been there and got the T-shirt (twice).

Douvan is so hard to assess at present.
Never extended, yet alone challenged, jumping flawless.
But yet to face anything, over hurdles or fences, which could be called top class.
What will he find when challenged? Will he ever be challenged?
Un De Sceaux was similarly unchallenged for a long time but, when he was, his limitations were swiftly exposed.
Nothing has yet been seen to suggest that Douvan is anything other than the real deal; it would be one of the great matches ever if he and Sprinter met and both were on song. Unlikely, but the Tingle Creek would be an extraordinary race if that were to happen.

It's hard to knock either of them (not that I'd want to).

I do remember thinking at the end of last season that, if anything, Sprinter was even better at Sandown than he was at Cheltenham - and was approaching the standards he set pre-heart problem.

I could see him being at least as good this season - and maybe even slightly better - if campaigned lightly which he will be. I know that flies in the face of convention for a 10yo rising 11 but he's not a normal 10yo.

I was initially underwhelmed with Douvan's Arkle performance - I was probably expecting more, and thought he may be another UDS as Cyclops says (Douvan won the Arkle by 7l, UDS 6l).

However, Douvan's thrashing of the oppostion at Aintree and Punchestown was stunning - regardless of the oppostion, he did look a different class to any other novice chaser since Sprinter.

It will be one hell of a matchup, but I would expect Douvan to come out on top, but at a fifth of the price, I wouldn't back him big.  Henderson has already performed a miracle with Sprinter, and I just can't really see it happening again unfortunately.  I can see him having a really tentitive campaign, with all roads leading to the QMCC.

sadly we are not gonna see this match up...

Sad day, one of the modern greats. Never got involved in his races betting wise, just enjoyed the spectacle of watching him cruise round courses and put top class chasers to the sword.