Europe all the rage for Champion title
Sizing Europe soared to the head of the betting for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle as he left dual winner of the blue riband Hardy Eustace trailing in his wake at Leopardstown.
Coral were most impressed and make him their new 9-4 favourite after he thrashed last year’s winner plus proven Grade One performer Al Eile by upwards of eight lengths in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle.
Ladbrokes and Cashmans are biggest at 3-1 for the Festival where the Henry De Bromhead-trained 100-30 winner will again be ridden by Andrew McNamara.
De Bromhead said: “To beat those horses the way he did is unreal and this is exciting isn’t it?
“He was slow at the first one down the back and I got worried when they started quickening that he may not jump as well, but he just winged hurdles after that and Andrew gave him a terrific ride.
“The faster they go the better it is for him as he is not a horse with a huge turn of foot and he needs a strong gallop.”
Liam Burke sent out his first Grade One winner as Thyne Again proved a cut above his five rivals in the Baileys Arkle Perpetual Challenge Cup Novice Chase.
Davy Russell allowed the 13-8 chance to ease clear rounding the home turn and despite a less than fluent leap at the last the partnership powered clear for a 15-length call.
Burke said: “I will talk to the owners about Cheltenham as I am terrified of the place, but on that performance you would nearly have to go there.
“If the owners are anxious to go then we will. The Powers Gold Cup would be the alternative.”
William Hill and totesport make Thyne Again a 10-1 chance for the Arkle, while Ladbrokes and Coral offer 14-1 and Cashmans a standout 20-1.
Willie Mullins may have lost the injured Glencove Marina from the SunAlliance picture but an able substitute emerged as classy French import Pomme Tiepy hacked up in the Grade Two Woodlands Park Novice Chase.
Mullins said of the 11-10 favourite: “She might not run at Cheltenham at all, although she would have a huge weight allowance in the SunAlliance.
“I need to sit down and think about plans because I also have J’Y Vole and she is another possible for Cheltenham.”
Coral were most impressed and offer the five-year-old Pomme Tiepy at 10-1 for the SunAlliance, while William Hill and Boylesports are biggest at 14s.
On an afternoon bursting with Cheltenham clues, Liskennett (8-1) responded well for pressure to secure a hard-fought victory in the Grade Two Toshiba Novice Hurdle.
“She’ll have an entry in the three-mile novice race at Cheltenham (Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle) and on her best form she had a good chance here,” commented trainer Charles Byrnes.
Eddie Harty’s Siege Of Ennis (8-1) opened his account as he scooted in under McNamara in the Frank Conroy Memorial Maiden Hurdle, earning a 25-1 quote with Coral for the Triumph Hurdle in the process.
