Captain Cee Bee and Sizing Europe all set for showdown

CAPTAIN CEE Bee and Sizing Europe are set for a deciding showdown after 17 horses stood their ground for next week’s Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham.

When they clashed at Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day there was little between them at the final fence until Captain Cee Bee came down, leaving Sizing Europe to land the spoils.

Connections of both report their charges to be on song for the big day.

“Everything is good with Sizing Europe and it is just a case of keeping him in one piece now,” said trainer Henry de Bromhead.

“He’s done plenty of work and we’ll just keep him ticking over now until he heads over to Cheltenham on Saturday.

“We obviously had the trouble with transit fever last year, but we have a few ideas of how to do things differently and try to prevent it happening again, so hopefully it was a one-off.”

The Eddie Harty-trained Captain Cee Bee, successful in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle in 2008, returned to winning ways at Naas last month.

“Touch wood, he’s on course for the Arkle. He’s in great form and fingers crossed he’ll get there in one piece,” said owner JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry. “He goes there in good order and we hope for the best.”

Ireland have at least two other strong strings to their bow in Sports Line and Osana, while leading British hopes Somersby and Riverside Theatre remain on course, although Tataniano was a surprise withdrawal yesterday.

The six-year-old, trained by Paul Nicholls, bypasses Tuesday’s two-mile novice championship to instead run in the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Handicap Chase tomorrow week.

Mad Max, Nicanor and Shakervilz are other interesting possibles.