Cheltenham Festival: Sizing Europe crushes rivals

Published on Wednesday 16 March 2011 18:56

A CHELTENHAM Festival failure became a confirmed hero as Sizing Europe crushed the last two winners of the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase.

In 2008 trainer Henry de Bromhead had arrived in Gloucestershire dreaming of winning the Champion Hurdle with his hot favourite, but optimism turned to despair when Sizing Europe finished tailed off.

He did not even make the meeting the following year but all was forgiven 12 months ago with victory in the Arkle Trophy and this five-length defeat of the reigning champion Big Zeb completed his ascent of the two-mile division.

The 2-1 favourite Master Minded, winner in 2008 and 2009, made a terrible mistake at the second-last when looking beaten and finished eighth.

At the final bend Sizing Europe had his rivals off the bridle and on an afternoon of total Irish domination, the 10-1 shot led home a one-two-three-four for the Emerald Isle as Captain Cee Bee and Golden Silver claimed the minor places.

De Bromhead, jockey Andrew Lynch and owners Alan and Ann Potts had already secured Tuesday's cross-country race with Sizing Australia.

"He's like a child to me, he's just been a wonderful horse and my wife would confirm I spend far more time with him than with anyone else," said the County Waterford-based trainer.

"We've had a lot of very good days and a couple of dodgy ones but today he showed his true self. We always said the King George would be our decision-maker over three miles but, when that was cancelled at Christmas, we decided he was proven here over two miles from the Arkle so we might as well go for with it.

"He was so quiet this morning that I said to his lass he's either dead or in a very chilled-out zone. We were praying it was a chilled-out zone, which it was."

Gordon Elliott stole the show with a 101-1 double as Team Ireland claimed six of the seven winners at the Cheltenham Festival on Wednesday.

The County Meath handler saddled Silver Birch to win the 2007 Grand National at Aintree, but a Festival triumph had eluded him until Chicago Grey landed the opening 141st Year Of The National Hunt Chase.

Stablemate Carlito Brigante, owned by Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary, then won the Coral Cup in style. Such an achievement was closely matched by the exploits of Elliott's compatriots, with the O'Leary-owned First Lieutenant, as well as Bostons Angel, What A Charm and new Champion Chase hero Sizing Europe winning their respective heats.

First up for Elliott, however, was Chicago Grey, who was given a fine ride by Derek O'Connor.The 5-1 favourite jumped accurately throughout the four-mile National Hunt Chase to secure a four-and-a-half-length victory.

Bostons Angel took the RSA Chase, but Elliott was soon back in the winner's enclosure with 16-1 chance Carlito Brigante.

What A Charm (9-1) gave jockey Paul Townend his first Cheltenham Festival success with victory in a thrilling Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.

The Irish stranglehold relinquished in the finale when Cheltenian, ridden by Richard Johnson, claimed the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.