RACING:Sizing Europe's trainer Henry De Bromhead thinks the world of his stable star but confessed to surprise yesterday that the horse is favourite to graduate to the big time in Sunday's AIG Europe Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.
The lightly-raced Sizing Europe is rated a 5 to 2 favourite with Paddy Power after just eight entries were left in Ireland's most coveted hurdle event at yesterday's forfeit stage.
Among the eight are the current Champion Hurdler Sublimity and the 2004 and 2005 title holder Hardy Eustace who will defend his AIG crown after that thrilling defeat of Brave Inca 12 months ago.
The five other entries, including Aitmatov, Ebaziyan and Al Eile, are all proven Grade One winners and yet it is Sizing Europe who has led the ante-post lists since betting began some weeks ago.
"I was surprised at that. Aitmatov looked to have us beaten when we fell at Punchestown last season and on official ratings we have an awful lot to find with most of them. There are two Champion Hurdle winners there so it is surprising to see him on top of the betting," Co Waterford-based De Bromhead said yesterday.
"He seems to have caught the eye of a lot of people and there's been a bit of hype about him. I just hope the bubble doesn't burst. I love the horse and the form of his Cheltenham win over Osana has worked out very well. But I just hope he runs well on Sunday and that we'll still be able to go the Cheltenham route with him," he added.
De Bromhead's more immediate headache is to find a jockey for Sizing Europe who hasn't been seen since impressively winning the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in November under Timmy Murphy.
Denis O'Regan had been approached to ride Sizing Europe in the AIG and the Champion Hurdle itself but he is out on a 14-day suspension while Ruby Walsh, who rode the horse at Punchestown last season, may be claimed by Willie Mullins for Ebaziyan on Sunday.
"With Al Eile and Ebaziyan both declared we might have to go to Plan B but no decision has been taken yet and I will talk it over with the owner, Alan Potts," De Bromhead said. "I think the horse will be better on nicer ground but he obviously showed at Cheltenham that he handles heavy and can go through it."
Sizing Europe is an 11 to 4 market leader with William Hill and a spokesman for that firm said: "That horse has been very popular in recent days and we'd be surprised if he didn't start favourite on Sunday."
Very testing conditions could rule out an appearance by Sublimity but there was a chink of light for John Carr's team yesterday with the possibility of the ground turning from soft to heavy, as it is now, to soft by the weekend.
"We're being told to expect 5-6mms of rain over Tuesday and Wednesday and there's also the chance of sleet showers on Wednesday night. But then it's supposed to stay dry over Friday and the weekend," Leopardstown's manager Tom Burke reported yesterday.
"Based on that, there's no question of us being under threat - we could have raced today - and with three dry days the ground on the hurdle course could improve to soft. Soft to heavy looks like the best we can hope for the chase course," he added.
Al Eile will be re-united with Timmy Murphy after their Christmas course and distance victory in the Bewleys Festival Hurdle and trainer John Queally is hopeful of another big day at Leopardstown.
"We are keen to run on Sunday. He is very well and we would like to run even though the ground isn't entirely in his favour. Timmy rides and they look a match made in heaven," he said. "Cheltenham will be a different ball game so let's get through Sunday first. If he won on Sunday I would love the problem of deciding about Cheltenham."
A total of six horses were taken out of the AIG yesterday including the British-trained Straw Bear who could now be aimed at Sandown's Totesport Contenders Hurdle, formerly the Agfa, on February 2nd.
Aitmatov will be Noel Meade's sole runner after Harchibald and Jazz Messenger were taken out and he will attempt to add to Cockney Lad's win in 1997.
A total of 10 horses remain in Sunday's other Grade One event, the Baileys Arkle, including Liam Burke's highly-rated Thyne Again as well as the course winners Scotsirish and Pedrobob.
In other news, Horse Racing Ireland yesterday announced five extra fixtures for the coming months. Four of them are replacements for those lost due to the recent bad weather while Punchestown on February 19th is a new meeting.
The replacements fixtures are Naas (March 18th), Fairyhouse (April 8th), Limerick (April 15th) and Cork (April 19th).
BETTING FOR AIG HURDLE:(Paddy Power): 5-2 Sizing Europe, 3 Al Eile, 7-2 Sublimity, 4 Aitmatov, 9-2 Hardy Eustace, 8 Lounaos, 14 Ebaziyan, 20 Silent Oscar. (William Hill): 11-4 Sizing Europe, 7-2 Aitmatov, 4 Al Eile, 9-2 Sublimity, 11-2 Hardy Eustace, 10 Lounaos, 14 Ebaziyan, 16 Silent Oscar.
Gowran Park inspection
An 8.00 inspection is planned for Gowran Park this morning ahead of tomorrow's scheduled Thyestes Chase meeting.
The Co Kilkenny track was raceable yesterday but the ground was heavy and some overnight rain was forecast.
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