Irish Independent Arkle Trophy favourite Sizing Europe is set to be given an entry in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham. Henry de Bromhead’s stable star is unbeaten over fences to date and was left clear at the last by the fall of Captain Cee Bee when winning the Bord Na Mona – With Nature Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
“I’d say he’ll have an entry (in the Champion Chase). It’s subject to speaking to Alan and Ann Potts, I’d imagine we’d stick to the novices’ race but you never know,” the trainer told At The Races.
Sizing Europe, winner of the Aig Europe Champion Hurdle, is likely to head to the Festival without another run.
“I’d imagine he will go straight to Cheltenham now. That’s the plan at the moment. I think he’s as good – if not better – than when he won the Irish Champion Hurdle. He may not have had his A game at Leopardstown the other day but his three wins prior to that over fences were as impressive as he’s ever been,” de Bromhead added.
Henrietta Knight believes her leading Irish Independent Arkle fancy Somersby could develop into a Gold Cup horse in the future. Her stable star, winner of the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown, will have one run in February before heading to Cheltenham the following month.
“I think he’s going to go more the staying route after this year. A lot of good horses come through the Arkle and go on to be three milers. Although he has a turn of foot I think he will also stay,” she told At The Races.He stayed on well up the hill at both Sandown and Warwick and I look at him more as a Gold Cup horse than a Champion Chase horse.”
Somersby is a 6/1 chance with Sky Bet for the Arkle.
