Sizing Europe puts Big Zeb in the shade *

Sizing Europe and Andrew Lynch image: inpho

FOR many people there is no greater thrill in racing than the spectacle of top class two mile chasers in full flight. The last two winners of Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase came to Punchestown on Sunday to fine tune their preparations and begin the countdown to their date with destiny at the Prestbury Park on 14 March.

Sizing Europe and Big Zeb had done battle three times before Sunday’s Tied Cottage Chase and the score was 2 -1 in favour of the 2010 champion, Big Zeb. However there had never been much between the pair in those contests and although Sizing Europe grabbed the crown at the Festival last March, the last time they met Big Zeb exacted revenge on his Cheltenham conqueror in the Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival last May.

It was expected to be another tight contest on Sunday with bookmakers and form analysts finding it difficult to separate the pair, and despite Imperial Shabra making it a three runner contest on paper, in truth it was always going to be a two horse race between Ireland’s two mile kings.

But the anticipated duel between the champions never materialized as Sizing Europe coped much the better with the heavy ground conditions to run out a comfortable 15 length winner from his old adversary with Imperial Shabra 57 lengths adrift of Big Zeb. There was a fleeting moment three out when it seemed the hoped for battle was about to unfold but Big Zeb was unable to mount a challenge and Sizing Europe came home in glorious isolation. However the pair are sure to be much closer come Champion Chase day in five weeks time.

Sizing Europe clears the last ahead of Big Zeb image:independent.ie

Trainer Henry de Bromhead was thrilled with his champion’s display. “I’m delighted with him and Andrew (Lynch, jockey) is delighted with him too. Andrew said he didn’t jump as well as he normally does in that ground so it was a savage performance.”

De Bromhead confirmed that it’s next stop Cheltenham for Sizing Europe. “He will go straight to the Champion Chase. Hopefully he will be alright in the morning and we will roll on from there. He is an amazing horse to be involved with. It’s great to win a race like this at Punchestown and it’s great for Irish racing to have the two champions here.”

Big Zeb’s trainer Colm Murphy was disappointed and admitted that the ground had concerned him beforehand. “They went a proper gallop on heavy testing ground, hopefully we'll be better for it. We never knew he'd go on testing ground, that was always a worry.”

Trifolium jumps the last in style image:irishracing.com

The other Grade 2 race on the card, the Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle, was claimed in impressive style by the Charles Byrnes trained Trifolium. He had run well when second to So Young at Navan last time out and on the strength of that form was sent off a well backed 7-4 favourite. Rory O’Moore set a good gallop in the testing conditions but was passed by Trifolium on the run to the second last. When Davy Russell pressed the button, Trifolium quickly went four lengths clear of the field. An impressive jump and the second last flight sealed the race and he galloped clear to win by an easy nine lengths. Ruby Walsh and Simenon stayed on well to take second.

Afterwards the winning trainer, confirmed that Cheltenham’s opening race is on the agenda for Trifolium. “I’m very happy with that but he would probably prefer better ground – like most horses! He was very free behind So Young but he settled much better today. I’m pleased with him and he’ll probably go for the Supreme Novices’ now.”

There was a dramatic finish to the day’s opening race, the Eadestown GAA Club and Parish Fair maiden hurdle. The red hot favourite Allure of Illusion looked to have the race won going to the last but King Vuvuzela challenged him all the way to the line and the pair crossed it locked together. A photo was called and the connections of both horses lingered around the runners up spot, careful not to tempt fate as they waited for the result to be called. In the end the judge couldn’t split the pair and it was judged a dead heat.

Paul Nolan, trainer of King Vuvuzela thought that the run and better ground will bring about an improvement in the horse. “ He disappointed his first couple of runs and wasn’t right in the early part of the season. I wasn’t expecting to beat Allure of Illusion but he should improve enough to take part in the nicer novice races and hopefully fulfill the potential we thought he had first time out.”

Allure of Illusion and King Vuvzela dead heat image: HRI

Allure of Illusion’s trainer Willie Mullins said, “He made hard work of that. It was a bit of a gamble coming here and running in that ground over that trip but I wanted to get a run into him.”

Mullins and son Patrick were the outright winners of the banks race as Scotsirish got the better of old favourite and banks specialist Garde Champetre in an exciting finish. Both Scotsirish and Uncle Junior will represent Mullins in the cross country chase at the Festival and Sunday’s winner is the 5 – 2 favourite.

Winning jockey Patrick Mullins was delighted with Scotsirish. “It was brilliant. He jumped well, almost too good really. He doesn’t like the ground and will be better on better ground. It’s the best fun (banks races) especially when you have a good horse like him.”

Another father and son combination from Carlow teamed up for victory in the bumper with Conor Fahy riding Morning Assembly for his father Pat. Horse and jockey managed to recover from some drama to record a comfortable success in Morning Assembly’s first race.

The sporting action wasn’t confined to the track. After the first race there was a penalty shootout in the winners’ enclosure as a host of jockeys took on Eadestown and Kildare All Star Emmet Bolton. Davy Russell, Robbie Power, Andrew McNamara and Niall ‘Slippers’ Madden were among the jockeys showing off their footballing skills. Bolton’s classmate Slippers Madden needed to call on Robbie Power to help him in goals but the two jockeys couldn’t keep any of Bolton’s penalties out. Kieran McGeeney won’t be calling on the jockeys anytime soon!

* This article first appeared in The Nationalist 7 February 2012