Is Sprinter Sacre a banker again?

Is Sprinter Sacre's return to Cheltenham going to be triumphant?

Often a horse dubbed a 'banker' at The Festival can set the runner up for a mighty fall - quite literally in the case of Annie Power.

Memories of Ponte Alexander finishing third in the Neptune Investment Novices' Hurdle two years ago as well as yesterday's accumulator buster in the final fence of the OLBG Mares' Hurdle, remind punters that Prestbury Park is the most challenging course either side of the Irish Sea.

On the same day as Ponte Alexander two years ago, however, there was a real banker who didn't let anyone down and he will be many punters 'sure thing' today if he can turn back the clock.

Of course, it may have been long odds on but Sprinter Sacre was dubbed as the biggest fancy in Cheltenham Festival history for the 2013 Champion Chase.

Nicky Henderson's star went off 1/4 favourite for the race, despite being up against former champion Sizing Europe, and he easily obliged by some 19 lengths.

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The son of Network made his victory look like a glorified schooling session putting in an incredible round of jumping and his jockey Barry Geraghty was little more than a passenger.

Sprinter Sacre could not defend his title last season after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat when pulled up in the Desert Orchid Chase. Gary Moore's Sire De Grugy took advantage of his absence to become the champion two-miler, romping home by six lengths.

After almost a year off the track, Sprinter Sacre made his long-awaited return to action in the Grade 1 Clarence House at Ascot, but things didn't work out as well as planned.

Despite jumping well throughout and being up with the pace of the contest, the nine-year-old didn't perform anywhere near his best and tasted defeat for just the second time in his chasing career with the Paul Nicholls-trained Dodging Bullets winning the race.

Sprinter Sacre now heads into the Champion Chase with so many questions to answer. Can he regain his crown? Will he ever be as good as he once was?

Henderson's charge heads into the race vying for favouritism with last year's winner Sire De Grugy.

Based on his Clarence House performance, Sprinter Sacre has to make up just three lengths with Dodging Bullets.

He runs off a mark of 179, seven pounds clear of Sire De Grugy and eight pounds ahead of Dodging Bullets.

Cheltenham is a course the bay gelding has thrived at in the past. He finished third in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and over larger obstacles he maintains a 100 percent strike rate.

Ground has never been an issue for Sprinter Sacre, although based on his previous record, his better efforts have come when the surface is on the sound side.

Arguably his most impressive victory to date came when he stepped up in trip for the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree in 2013. It was an unknown distance against that year's Ryanair Chase winner Cue Card as well as former Champion Chase winner Finian's Rainbow, yet Sprinter Sacre cruised to victory, relishing the good ground.

Geraghty has a superb booking of rides for the Cheltenham Festival this year, like always. Out of all of the rides the County Meath man has at Prestbury Park, he has constantly reminded the public that his mount on Sprinter Sacre is his best of the week.

Geraghty rode Sprinter Sacre tenderly at Ascot on his return with just a squeeze, a shake of the reins but no whip was produced by the jockey who eased his mount in the closing stages.

That ride suggests that connections were nursing the gelding towards the Champion Chase and did not want him to be stretched.

Sprinter Sacre has been pleasing at home with Henderson too blowing his gelding's trumpet.

There is the possibility of him not being back to his best and there will be no room for error with the race being arguably the strongest renewal of the Champion Chase in recent years.

However, based on positive reports on his well being and his previous domination of the division, he looks a decent price to go and regain his crown. Indeed, any price will look good if he is anywhere near the force of old.