racing_news/

Sizing Europe Superior in Tingle Creek
03/12/11

1 Sizing Europe 11/8F
2 Kauto Stone 7/2
3 Cornas 16/1
NR: Dan Breen (IRE), Tataniano (FR)
7 ran Distances: 8l, 5l, 3¼l
TIME 3m 59.80s (slow by 13.80s)

Sizing Europe proved much too good for his rivals as he ran away with the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown.

Sizing Europe
© racing-images.co.uk

The Arkle Trophy and Champion Chase hero jumped with the verve that was the highlight of his two notable Cheltenham victories, flying the Railway fences and vying for the lead with Kauto Stone before the turn for home.

Kauto Stone was the only one able to stick with the 11-8 favourite when the pace quickened, but Henry de Bromhead's star got the better of the argument coming towards the second-last and produced another couple of exuberant leaps for Andrew Lynch to seal an eight-length triumph.

Lynch said: "They went a good gallop and he got into a nice rhythm. He travelled well and jumped super. He's a horse who can run over any trip and he will run his heart out, but two miles is probably his ideal trip.

"He ran on heavy ground at home and it's a lot worse there than here. I wasn't too worried about the ground."

De Bromhead added: "That was brilliant. He jumped the second down the back a bit slow and that got me a little worried, but he winged the fence six from home and started to canter when the rest were struggling.

"It was phenomenal and apart from that one mistake, he was brilliant. The plan was always to bring him here for his Christmas run and then take him back to Cheltenham to try to win the Queen Mother again.

"He had his prep race for that at Punchestown last year and I see no reason why we shouldn't go back for that again - if it's not broken, don't fix it. I wouldn't rule out going three miles again and that's maybe something we'll consider after Cheltenham, where we will stick to two miles.

Kauto Stone
© Racehorse Photos

"I felt a lot of pressure coming here as the hot favourite, whereas in the Queen Mother we came in under the radar."

Paul Nicholls said of Kauto Stone: "He's not that big or scopey and was flat out all the way. It would suit him running over further and we will look at the Ryanair this year before stepping him up the following season. There is nothing around to beat Sizing Europe at the moment."

Position	Horse Trainer	Jockey Weight	Starting Price Beaten Distance
1	Sizing Europe H de Bromhead	A E Lynch 11st 7lbs	11 - 8 Winner
2	Kauto Stone P F Nicholls	R Walsh 11st 7lbs	7 - 2 8 lengths
3	Cornas Nick Williams	L Aspell 11st 7lbs	16 - 1 5 lengths
4	I'msingingtheblues D Pipe	Hadden Frost 11st 7lbs	20 - 1 3 1/4 lengths
5	Wishfull Thinking P J Hobbs	R Johnson 11st 7lbs	3 - 1 22 lengths
6	Fix The Rib G L Moore	Joshua Moore 11st 7lbs	100 - 1 30 lengths
Fell	Gauvain Nick Williams	N Fehily 11st 7lbs	7 - 1
NonRunner	Dan Breen D Pipe	Non Runner 11st 7lbs	-
NonRunner	Tataniano P F Nicholls	Non Runner 11st 7lbs	-