It was a case of three becoming two for Sizing Europe’s Cheltenham festival options yesterday as Henry De Bromhead’s star was taken out of the Gold Cup, leaving it “50-50” whether he runs in the Champion Chase or the Ryanair.
Already a dual-festival winner, in the 2010 Arkle and the 2011 Queen Mother Champion Chase, Sizing Europe was an unlucky runner-up in his two-mile title defence last year behind Finian’s Rainbow.
Holding fire
Another crack at the two-mile crown is likely to mean a clash with the red-hot favourite Sprinter Sacre, and possibly Flemenstar, and De Bromhead is holding fire on whether or not to run in the longer race.
“He’s out of the Gold Cup and we’ve put him in the other two for the moment,” the Co Waterford trainer said yesterday. “We’ve no idea which race. It’s definitely 50-50 now. We are always looking forward to Cheltenham when he’s running. He’s been super. He seems in good form, he seems well and we’re happy with him at the moment,” De Bromhead added.
Sizing Europe has won all three of his starts this season, including the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on his last start.
