RACING: SIZING EUROPE and stable companion Sizing Symphony could make the journey from Ireland to Sandown at the start of December.

Last year’s Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Sizing Europe could take in the Tingle Creek Chase on December 3rd, with the JNWine.com Champion Chase on Saturday week at Down Royal a possible port of call along the way.

Sizing Symphony recorded his third successive victory over hurdles at Cheltenham earlier this month and could head back across the Irish Sea to compete in the Winter Novices’ Hurdle 24 hours earlier.

“Sizing Symphony is in good form. It’s (plans) subject to ground as he’s definitely a better-ground horse,” said trainer Henry De Bromhead .

“I think going back to Cheltenham in November might be too soon, but there is a two-and-a-half-mile Grade Two at Sandown at the beginning of December. It’s the same weekend as the Tingle Creek and (Sizing) Europe might go for the Tingle Creek and he might go with him.”

Regarding a possible step back up in trip at Down Royal for Sizing Europe, De Bromhead said: “We’re going to stay in the Down Royal race and follow it along. We’ll see whose turning up and see; he ran very well in the race last year. We’re keeping our options open. Ground would probably be a key thing.”

Paul Nolan would prefer decent ground at Naas this weekend to allow Noble Prince to return to the National Hunt sphere in the Ben Dunne Gyms Supporting Kildare GAA Poplar Square Chase.

The seven-year-old ran out an impressive winner of the Jewson Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in the spring and would have gone close to following up at Fairyhouse but for falling at the second last fence.

He ran no sort of race on the Flat at the Curragh recently but Nolan feels his smart gelding will have improved plenty fitness-wise for that run.

“All going well this week I’d say it’s more than likely he’ll be going to Naas. Hopefully the ground isn’t go to be too heavy there,” said Nolan.

“He just needed the run badly when he ran at the Curragh. I think he’ll strip a lot fitter this time but having said that, I think he’ll come on for it again.”

Leading jockey Paul Carberry feels the controversial new whip rules enforced in Britain lack common sense.

Compatriot Ruby Walsh was handed a five-day suspension when riding at Aintree on Saturday for hitting his mount, Edgardo Sol, once more than the permitted eight under the new National Hunt sanctions.

Walsh, who has strong ties with Paul Nicholls in England and Willie Mullins in his homeland, indicated afterwards he planned to make less trip across the Irish Sea unless the rules were altered.

Carberry generally only makes the journey to England for the higher-profile meetings, but feels just as strongly about the revised rules.

“I don’t agree with the rules and I don’t think they are going to be great for the big meetings at Cheltenham and things like that. I came over for Cheltenham earlier this month and you are thinking about it (use of the whip) all the time instead of focusing on riding a race.

“For me, there is just no common sense being shown.

“The stewards are there to do a job on the day and now they just count how many times a jockey hits a horse.”