Punchestown glory for Sizing Europe

Sizing Europe made the perfect start to life over fences with a smooth success in the Evening Meetings At Punchestown Beginners Chase.

A brilliant winner of the 2008 AIG Champion Hurdle, things have not always gone quite to plan for the Henry de Bromhead-trained seven-year-old since then.

He looks made for the bigger obstacles however and oozed class on this occasion, never being stretched at any stage in strolling home by four and a half lengths as the 4-5 favourite under Denis O'Regan.

Stan James were quick to react with a 16-1 quote for the 2010 Arkle.

De Bromhead said: "He was good there, for his first time over fences at Punchestown I thought he was very good. Denis said he was electric to jump and I suppose he looked it.

"I was very worried about running him over two and a half miles and the heavy ground."

He added: "I suppose there is not really a whole lot of options for him, so I will have to speak to his owner and decide where to go next."