RACING/PUNCHESTOWN:THERE ARE few things to stir the sporting blood better than a straight head-to-head clash and that looks the mouth-watering prospect between the top two-milers Sizing Europe and Big Zeb in tomorrow's Punchestown feature.
Some rather hopeful comparisons to the legendary 1986 “match” between Dawn Run and Buck House are being made ahead of tomorrow’s race and no doubt it would be convenient for some if the rank outsider of the three-horse field, Imperial Shabra, wasn’t there at all.
That, however, would ignore how the big race build-up can happily focus on the horses rather than the weather, thanks in large part to Imperial Shabra’s owner, Rita Shah.
The well-known businesswoman has again played a major role in the laying down of miles of plastic covers which have protected Punchestown’s hurdles and chase tracks from the worst of the frost that has been a spoilsport with much of this weekend’s racing schedule elsewhere.
Almost five miles of covers were laid earlier this week, a year after they were used for the first time in Ireland when successfully allowing this meeting to go ahead.
“It is labour intensive initiative but if it is the difference between racing going ahead or being abandoned it is well worth the effort,” Punchestown’s manager Richie Galway said yesterday.
“The hurdle and chase tracks are currently raceable and we are confident, based on the forecast, that there won’t be any problems.”
Twelve months ago, both Big Zeb and Sizing Europe could only finish behind the ill-fated Golden Silver in the Grade Two Boylesports Tied Cottage Chase. After that, though, Sizing Europe deposed Big Zeb from the Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham, only to just lose out in a memorable finish with his old rival at the Punchestown Festival.
The Irish stars currently dominate ante-post betting for the Queen Mother at Cheltenham which understandably is the race foremost in the minds of their connections. “We’ll be focusing on Cheltenham and this is a stepping stone towards that,” said Sizing Europe’s trainer Henry De Bromhead yesterday.
“There’s not much between our horse and Big Zeb – just 1lb on the ratings. We’re hoping for a good run.”
The initiative could be with the older horse tomorrow as Big Zeb does look less reliant on good ground conditions to show his best. Robbie Power is unbeaten on the 2010 champ and can continue that streak in what should be an intriguing contest.
Tomorrow’s other Grade Two is the Racing UK Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle in which champion trainer Willie Mullins relies on Simenon to give him a third success in four years in the €39,500 event.
Simenon could hardly have won his last race at Cork any easier and while the value of that form might be debatable, what isn’t is that Mullins should know exactly where he stands with each of his principals rivals. They have regularly been bumping into some of Simenon’s stable companions all season so Mullins’s decision to run Simenon here and not the highly regarded Terminal could be significant.
Punchestown’s unique cross-country course has been open to the elements all week but if the PP Hogan Memorial survives to be run then it will feature two veteran track regulars, Garde Champetre and Heads Onthe Ground.
However, both will do well to keep tabs on the high-class Scotsirish, less than seven lengths off Big Zeb at Christmas, and who was part of the infamous “wrong way” incident over Cheltenham’s cross-country track before that.
JP McManus has three representatives in the marathon National Trial and while Mark Walsh is on In Great Form, a test of stamina like this could be perfect for Smoking Aces, who has Adrian Heskin on his back.
