Henry de Bromhead is keeping the Cheltenham options open for Sizing Europe after his stable star repeated last year’s success in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown yesterday.
De Bromhead does not want to commit the Arkle and Queen Mother Champion Chase winner to any specific race at next month’s festival just yet.
However, the Co Waterford trainer did say that the Betfred Gold Cup was the least likely of Sizing Europe’s three engagements, which would leave the choice between the Champion and Ryanair Chase.
The 11-year-old has won all his four starts this winter after disposing of the gallant Foildubh. Andrew Lynch made all the running on the 1 to 8 shot and only Foildubh could keep tabs on him, flattering briefly before going down by 10 lengths.
De Bromhead said: “It hasn’t really made any difference to where we’ll go at Cheltenham – I’d say the Gold Cup is the outsider of the three options and we’ll just see how everything unfolds.”
