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Champion Chase Quartet Set for Rematch at Punchestown
15/04/11

Sizing Europe, Big Zeb, Captain Cee Bee and Golden Silver, who led home a famous Irish 1-2-3-4 in Cheltenham’s Grade 1 Queen Mother Champion Chase last month, look set to renew rivalry at this year’s Punchestown Festival.

Sizing Europe
© racing-images.co.uk

Sizing Europe

All four are all expected to line up in Punchestown’s two-mile chasing showpiece, the 140,000 euros Boylesports.com Champion Chase on the Festival’s opening day, Tuesday, May 3.

Entries for that Grade 1 contest and four other early-closing races on the Punchestown Festival’s first two days are revealed today and some brilliant racing is in prospect.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sizing Europe stormed to a five-length victory at Cheltenham from Big Zeb with Captain Cee Bee a further four lengths back in third and Golden Silver, winner of the 2010 Boylesports.com Champion Chase, in fourth.

De Bromhead revealed this morning: “Right now, the plan is absolutely to go to the Boylesports.com Champion Chase with Sizing Europe. We were ecstatic with his win in Cheltenham, it was amazing - brilliant.

“He seems in great form. I’m never confident going into races like this, they’re all top-class horses and Golden Silver and Big Zeb beat us seven lengths in January. With those kind of guys it’s just who is feeling best on the day.

“I think the first four in the Queen Mother Champion Chase will be taking each other on again, so imagine it will be a really thrilling race and one that we’re looking forward to.

“Good ground is Sizing Europe’s optimum. He’s pretty good on anything but to be at his real best, good ground is what he wants.

Big Zeb
© racing-images.co.uk

Big Zeb
The Colm Murphy-trained Big Zeb, a head runner-up to Master Minded at Punchestown two years ago, captured the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2010 and his charge will bid to regain his standing as the best two-mile chaser around.

Murphy said today:“Punchestown is the plan. Big Zeb has come out of Cheltenham really well and the idea was always to freshen him up for the Boylesports.com Champion Chase and hopefully he should run well there.

“I suppose whoever is there firing all guns on the day will win the race. He ran a blinder at Cheltenham and unfortunately for us although fortunately for Henry, Sizing Europe was the better horse on the day, but Big Zeb is well and I’m pleased with him. Hopefully we can get a bit of nice ground that won’t inconvenience him.”

The Eddie Harty-trained Captain Cee Bee is looking to add a second Punchestown Festival win to his record, having won the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase over the distance at last year’s event.

Harty revealed today: “Captain Cee Bee is in great form, I’m happy with him and we are looking forward to Punchestown. He won well there last year and we couldn’t be happier with him.

“He ran well at Cheltenham and I’m looking forward to taking them on again and seeing what happens this time around.

“I would prefer good ground with him but at this time of year you never know what the weather is going to do - the horse is in good form and that’s all we can ask for.”

British champion trainer Paul Nicholls has entered Aintree Grade 1 winner Tataniano to add further spice to the Boylesports.com Champion Chase.

Sponsor Boylesports makes Sizing Europe 2/1 favourite to come out on top again in the Punchestown rematch. Their full betting is:

Sizing Europe 2/1
Big Zeb 9/4
Golden Silver 5/1
Captain Cee Bee 5/1
Tataniano 7/1
Osana 14/1
J’y Vole 14/1
Changing Course 100/1

1/4 odds 2 places, ante post rules apply

Leon Blanche of Boylesports said: “We are thrilled to see that the first four home in the Queen Mother will renew rivalries in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase. It just goes to show the quality of two mile chasers we have here.

“Golden Silver saved the bookies and surprised us all last year and again in the Boylesports.com Chase in January when he beat Big Zeb so he could be one to watch and never underestimate the Willie Mullins factor at the Punchestown Festival. We are really looking forward to what should be a top-quality race and Festival.”

 

KAUTO STAR GOING FOR GOLD

Kauto Star
© Racehorse Photos

Kauto Star
The Festival’s flagship staying chase is the 3m 1f Grade 1 Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup on Wednesday, May 4, and 14 entries are headed by the great Kauto Star, twice successful in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and a four-time winner of the King George VI Chase for trainer Paul Nicholls.

He is one of four British-trained entries alongside stablemate Neptune Collonges, twice successful in the Guinness Gold Cup (2008 & 2007), last week’s Aintree Grade 1 winner Nacarat and the high-class Evan Williams-trained Deep Purple.

The Willie Mullins-trained Kempes, winner of the Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown last year as well as this season’s Hennessy Gold Cup, is also among the entries.

Boylesports makes Kauto Star 9/4 favourite to win the Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup, just ahead of Nacarat.

Boylesports’ betting is:

Kauto Star 9/4
Nacarat 3/1
Kempes 9/2
Joncol 5/1
Neptune Collonges 8/1
The Midnight Club 12/1
Tranquil Sea 16/1
Follow the Plan 16/1
Roberto Goldback 16/1
Let Yourself Go 16/1
Deep Purple 20/1
Rare Bob 25/1
Vic Venturi 25/1
Notre Pere 33/1

1/5 odds first 3 places, ante post rules apply.

 

CHELTENHAM HERO FIRST LIEUTENANT HEADS EVENING HERALD CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE

A total of 17 horses have been engaged for the 80,000 euros Grade 1 Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle headed by the Mouse Morris-trained Cheltenham hero First Lieutenant, who clinched a thrilling last-gasp victory over Rock On Ruby in the Grade 1 Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

Third on that occasion was the Willie Mullins-trained So Young, while the Jessica Harrington-trained Oscars Well had looked the likely winner until a mistake at the last left him to finish fourth.

Oscars Well had previously landed the Grade 1 Navan Novice Hurdle in December and followed up with an impressive five and a half-length victory over the Mullins-trained Zaidpour in the Grade 1 Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in February, a race in which the Edward O’Grady-trained Shot From The Hip was third and the Dermot Weld-trained Hidden Universe fourth.

Zaidour won the Grade 1 Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse in December, while Hidden Universe is already a Punchestown Festival winner, having held the Sean Byrne-trained Oilily to take the Grade 1 Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race last year.

Also among the entries are the Dessie Hughes-trained Canaly, who is seeking a four-timer, and the Philip Rothwell-trained Rathlin, the first Irish-trained horse to cross the line when sixth in the Grade 1 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

 

CHELTENHAM AND AINTREE WINNERS HEAD TO GROWISE CHAMPION NOVICE CHASE

Noble Prince
© racing-images.co.uk

Noble Prince
A mouthwatering Grade 1 Growise Champion Novice Chase is in prospect on Tuesday, May 3, with the 25 entries including the Paul Nolan-trained Noble Prince, an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Jewson Novices’ Chase at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.

Chicago Grey, winner of the four-mile National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham has been entered by trainer Gordon Elliott in the 80,000 euros race as has the Colm Murphy-trained Quito De La Roque, a Grade Two winner at Aintree last week for owner Michael O’Leary.

Other notable names engaged include the Willie Mullins-trained Mikael D’Haguenet while there are five entries from Britain including last season’s Punchestown Festival winner Reve De Sivola and Golan Way, who has been targeted at the meeting by trainer Sheena West.

 

41 BID FOR COMPETITIVE GUINNESS HANDICAP CHASE

Alongside the Guinness Gold Cup on Wednesday’s fantastic card is the lucrative 80,000 euros Guinness Handicap Chase over two and a half miles, which has 41 entries, among them the Edward O’Grady-trained Tranquil Sea and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Sunnyhillboy, one of six possible contenders from Britain.

The Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday, May 3, to Saturday, May 7, 2011 and includes 11 Grade 1 races over the five days. First race 3.40pm (2.30pm Saturday).

Visit www.punchestown.com to book tickets, find accommodation and arrange transport to and from the Festival.

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