SPRINTER Sacre turned in a scintillating performance to pummel his rivals in the Racing Post Arkle Chase at Cheltenham.

The 8-11 favourite, trained by Nicky Henderson at the Seven Barrows yard in Lambourne, had barely come off the bridle in his first three starts over fences and there was an inevitability about the result when he jumped to the front leaving the back straight to come home with seven lengths in hand with Barry Geraghty on board.

Cue Card ran an excellent race to beat the rest of his rivals easily, with Menorah in third.

Henderson said: "We always hoped he might be a bit special.

"He was coming here to show off and he's done it. That's the way he loves to do it. He is very flashy and very showy.

"That jumping was quite unreal. He was always travelling and he's got up the hill.

"He's got so much speed and scope, he's just a dreadful show-off. That was really worth watching today.

"There was no point in Barry stopping him, they gave him a good lead and went a nice pace.

"When he's jumping like that it's a joy. He looked a proper horse and he was just showing off."

Sprinter Sacre was presenting Henderson his 40th Cheltenham Festival win, which means he has now equalled the record of Fulke Walwyn.

Henderson added: "It's nice to get it out of the way on the first day. This was a horse we hoped might do it and he could really be special.

"You wait for something to come out of the woodwork and be a real champion and it just might be him."

Henderson said he was undecided whether Sprinter Sacre would run again this season.

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