To retire Sprinter Sacre would be the “cowardly way out”, according to his trainer Nicky Henderson.

The rejuvenated 10-year-old has been the equine star of the jumps season during an unbeaten campaign which reached its peak in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

There had been conjecture from certain quarters that Sprinter Sacre would be retired after his equally brilliant Celebration Chase victory at Sandown on Saturday.

But Henderson told the Daily Telegraph: “From our point of view, it (retirement) would be the cowardly way out.

“We can say we don’t want to put ourselves, or him, through it any more, but he has done nothing to suggest he needs to be retired.

“He’s 100 per cent and will be going away in a fortnight.

“He is 10 now, but he missed two years and has done nothing but get better this season.

“It will be interesting to see what his rating is, as they were saying he had been running around 10lb below what he once was.

“Next year’s another year and it will get more difficult, but why not? He enjoys it, and people enjoy him.”