and so finally it arrives the clash we have been waiting so long for the top of the bill dust up which for many is the highlight of the meeting and one which is quite simply too close to call nicky henderson’s sprinter sacre versus gary moore trained sire de grugy in the betway queen mother champion chase sprinter sacre was the imperious winner of the race in 2013 but could not defend his title 12 months ago because of illness in his absence, sire de grugy galloped away with his crown displaying the same disdain for the leaden footed gallopers chasing him barry geraghty riding sprinter sacre celebrates victory in the queen mother champion steeple chase in 2013  sprinter sacre clears a fence on his way to winning the race two years ago  both pack a killer punch and both are battled scarred giants both also hail from stables reluctant to admit the possibility of defeat if they were boxers, they would probably be nose to nose, eyes bulging, refusing to be the first to blink but underneath would be a grudging respect borne not only out of mutual ability but also shared battles against adversity they have met once before in the desert orchid chase at kempton in december 2013 but it was a race memorable for the wrong reason as jockey barry geraghty pulled up sprinter sacre after the seventh fence with a fibrillating heart problem it was an issue which kept him off the track until his second to dodging bullets at ascot in january, a good performance off such a lengthy lay off but one which only fuelled debate about whether the sprinter sacre of today is a shadow of the horse rated one of the best steeplechasers in his pomp the delayed return had scuppered the pair’s first anticipated clash in the tingle creek chase at sandown in december sire de grugy, ridden by jamie moore, galloped to the crown at last year's festival  but by then sire de grugy, who mopped up britain’s four grade one two mile chases in sprinter sacre’s absence, had also been sidelined in his case it was a hip injury which initially had moore fearing his season might be over but after a blip when moore’s jockey son jamie was unseated in last month’s game spirit chase at newbury, confidence was restored with a smooth winning performance at chepstow the debate over their relative merits and how much talent they retain has been endless but now the time for talking is over henderson (left), the most successful trainer in festival history, has shown trademark patience in nursing sprinter sacre back into shape he said: ‘it will be the clash of the festival it is what we wanted last year and didn’t happen it will be a hell of a clash they have got a crown that we want back i think we have a chance you can’t be confident but i am hopeful he is in seriously good shape and doing everything we have remotely asked him to do sprinter sacre (left) finished second to dodging bullets in comeback at ascot in january  moore celebrates with sire de grugy after claiming victory last year  ‘i am not saying he is back to his very best when he was, he was absolutely ridiculously unbeatable it didn’t matter what anyone threw at him i am not saying he is still like that but he is in seriously good shape’ but jamie moore is equally bullish for sire de grugy he said: ‘i am hoping will see the same horse as last year and i am pretty sure they will at the start of the season i thought he was working better last year i think we will see the real sire turn up and he will give them all a hell of race’ the danger, of course, is that all the focus on the big two leads to a talented rival being underestimated, just as when imperial commander gatecrashed the 2010 gold cup billed as the denman versus kauto star show lining up against them is paul nicholls trained dodging bullets, whose breeder frankie dettori was thinking more derby and royal ascot when he sent dam nova cyngi to stallion dubawi barry geraghty acknowledges the crowd after being lead into the winner's enclosure in 2013  the three time champion flat jockey will be at the track to watch the form horse of the season and winner of both the tingle creek and clarence house chases run then there is willie mullins trained champagne fever, who was just a head away in the arkle trophy chase from winning at his third consecutive festival, 12 months ago nicholls also saddles much improved mr mole, the mount of ap mccoy the cheltenham festival is rightly billed as the olympics of jump racing that make the two mile queen mother champion chase the 100metres final fast, furious and compelling … and almost impossible to call
2013 2014 day two sprinter scare de grugy last year the cheltenham festival
sprinter scare won the queen mother champion chase in 2013  but was not given the chance to defend his title last year due to illness  sire de grugy galloped away with the title in 2014 with comfortable win  the pair go head to head in the race on day two of the cheltenham festival 