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05 Nov 11
21:07
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Date Joined:
30 Jun 07
The last two seasons in March at Cheltenham we've seen superb displays of top class chasing over 2 miles by SIZING EUROPE. In fact in his career to date the farthest he's won over was 2 1/2 miles when he won an egg and spoon race on his chasing debut in Punchestown 2 years ago. He also won over 2 1/2miles recently (by default) when RUBI LIGHT's final fence fall gifted him the PricewaterhouseCoopers Champion Chase (Grade 2) .
I've always mantained "If it ain't broke, don't fix it " I admire Henry de Bromhead for being brave and trying 3 miles. But we saw this fail last year in Down Royal when he clearly didn't stay behind a below par KAUTO STAR. Now it almost paid off today as he got the better of a war with THE NIGHTINGALE (they cut each others throats) and allowed the streetfighter that is QUITO DE LA ROQUE to come from way off the pace and in the end win cheekily as he swept passed a legless SIZING EUROPE. In fairness he'd have won if he hadn't made a mess of the 2nd last. But I feel they are giving him hard races when they could be moping up easy 2 to 2 1/2mile contests . In fact if I owned the horse I'd have gone to Cheltenham next Sunday for the Connaught Chase which is over 2 miles and has a lovely first prize of over 30K Stg.
His course record over fences at Cheltenham reads 11 and in fact as a total reads 11 -14th -1 . I think that race next week would have been a lap of honour. For me its clear to all this is a serious horse over 2 miles on ground no worse than soft. He handles most ground. For me I'd try and get his jumping back to scratch first instead of being too ambitous trying staying trips. He'll need to be razor sharp again in his jumping which has been his prime asset lifting the arkle and The Queen mother ! His fencing in cheltenham the last 2 Years has been electric !!!
Credit Henry for having a tilt at 3 miles but I don't quite think he quite gets home over 3 miles at this level (never mind a King George against LONG RUN + CO !-no chance ) By the way that Quito De La Roque would definitely stay 4 miles. He's probably not a Gold Cup horse but he has one great asset he's tough,never gives up and has stamina in abundance. For me he'd be the ideal horse to win a Welsh National as he'd love the trip and is a real mudlark,although the weight might beat him as he's probably too good for handicaps now.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it "
For SIZING EUROPE stick to the devil you know,you should be moping up the numerous 2 mile opportunities here and in the UK (Group One Penalty or not !)
I've always mantained "If it ain't broke, don't fix it " I admire Henry de Bromhead for being brave and trying 3 miles. But we saw this fail last year in Down Royal when he clearly didn't stay behind a below par KAUTO STAR. Now it almost paid off today as he got the better of a war with THE NIGHTINGALE (they cut each others throats) and allowed the streetfighter that is QUITO DE LA ROQUE to come from way off the pace and in the end win cheekily as he swept passed a legless SIZING EUROPE. In fairness he'd have won if he hadn't made a mess of the 2nd last. But I feel they are giving him hard races when they could be moping up easy 2 to 2 1/2mile contests . In fact if I owned the horse I'd have gone to Cheltenham next Sunday for the Connaught Chase which is over 2 miles and has a lovely first prize of over 30K Stg.
His course record over fences at Cheltenham reads 11 and in fact as a total reads 11 -14th -1 . I think that race next week would have been a lap of honour. For me its clear to all this is a serious horse over 2 miles on ground no worse than soft. He handles most ground. For me I'd try and get his jumping back to scratch first instead of being too ambitous trying staying trips. He'll need to be razor sharp again in his jumping which has been his prime asset lifting the arkle and The Queen mother ! His fencing in cheltenham the last 2 Years has been electric !!!
Credit Henry for having a tilt at 3 miles but I don't quite think he quite gets home over 3 miles at this level (never mind a King George against LONG RUN + CO !-no chance ) By the way that Quito De La Roque would definitely stay 4 miles. He's probably not a Gold Cup horse but he has one great asset he's tough,never gives up and has stamina in abundance. For me he'd be the ideal horse to win a Welsh National as he'd love the trip and is a real mudlark,although the weight might beat him as he's probably too good for handicaps now.
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it "
For SIZING EUROPE stick to the devil you know,you should be moping up the numerous 2 mile opportunities here and in the UK (Group One Penalty or not !)
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He is a top level staying two miler to me and while I am all for expansively campaigning horse the richer pickings are in the spring for this guy. I remember Duggan saying something interesting that because of his injuries, he is a horse that they never fully let down from training. Don't laugh, but I've always thought that this boy has never been as good since his injury, he was a pacier more brilliant horse over hurdles to me and contradictory as it sounds, i think that horse might have won a Gold cup as he was just so effortless. He should hav ewon the champion hurdle.
SB- you dont seem to consider that the trainer may be plotting the same campaign that won him the champion chase last year. Also as you say yourself only for the mistake at 2nd last he would have won today.
Given good ground at Kempton , i think he will give the overhyped Long Run an awful lot to think about.
Given good ground at Kempton , i think he will give the overhyped Long Run an awful lot to think about.
Only so many times you can go to the well though? He was legless out there today.
This horse has been legless more often than not, his win in last years champion was an aberration, the arkle the year before Sizing Europe was out on his feet, in the Champion hurdle where he started hot fav he went out as if shot by a tank round.
Sizing Europe is probably the most overrated horse in training, he's contested 13 Grade 1'S, won only 4 and losing 9.
Sizing Europe is probably the most overrated horse in training, he's contested 13 Grade 1'S, won only 4 and losing 9.
2 miles on a tough track like Cheltenham , and/or up to two and a half miles on a flat / easy track . That would be my formula . Think its the owner who wants to win staying races , reckon they should shelve that .
Plenty of logic to it if you take a much closer look at this horses career, he's went out like a light plenty of times over his supposed best trip of 2 miles.
I really don't know where that champion stakes performance came from? because nothing the horse done before or after comes even close to that aberration, must have put something other than sugar and milk in its weetabix?.
I really don't know where that champion stakes performance came from? because nothing the horse done before or after comes even close to that aberration, must have put something other than sugar and milk in its weetabix?.
The secret to the horse is good ground imo. Also he is a Cheltenham specialist. Doesnt jump as well out of soft ground and that was his undoing yesterday
As I say I think his ideal track seems to be Cheltenham ,who is to say if he hadn't got hurt in The Champion Hurdle that he might'nt be unbeaten at Prestbury Park now where his course form reads 3 wins out 4 and two out of two over fences there.
Time and time again we see horses that like Cheltenham win repeatedly there. He's probably 7lbs a better horse there. Also good ground is vital even though he's won on soft and heavy.
I'd also concur with Neill D,prior to that injury I too felt he looked awesome. A real pacy type who looked like he'd win 2 Champion Hurdles. I still wouldn't mind owning him. Great servant and on his best day,which seems to be in the spring in Cheltenham he's a fair horse.
Time and time again we see horses that like Cheltenham win repeatedly there. He's probably 7lbs a better horse there. Also good ground is vital even though he's won on soft and heavy.
I'd also concur with Neill D,prior to that injury I too felt he looked awesome. A real pacy type who looked like he'd win 2 Champion Hurdles. I still wouldn't mind owning him. Great servant and on his best day,which seems to be in the spring in Cheltenham he's a fair horse.
Are you sure he was hurt in the Champion hurdle stamford or was it connections desperately searching for an excuse for his total capitulation?.
And didn't we have a similar type collapse about 9 months later?, check out link,
http://www.attheraces.com/VideoConsole/?va=LEO_2008_12_29_04_1355&vaff=16
This horse would have been beaten on his so called favourite track in the Arkle if most of the field weren't blundering their way around or falling, Sizing Europes impeccable jumping won the day but only just!, the decent but hardly brilliant Somersby would have won if he didn't jump so sketchily was reeling in Sizing Europe with every stride, some might say jumping is the name of the game but their is no escaping the fact Sizing Europe is powder puff at the business end of his races, how many races have you heard the word WEAKENED where this softy is concerned?.
And didn't we have a similar type collapse about 9 months later?, check out link,
http://www.attheraces.com/VideoConsole/?va=LEO_2008_12_29_04_1355&vaff=16
This horse would have been beaten on his so called favourite track in the Arkle if most of the field weren't blundering their way around or falling, Sizing Europes impeccable jumping won the day but only just!, the decent but hardly brilliant Somersby would have won if he didn't jump so sketchily was reeling in Sizing Europe with every stride, some might say jumping is the name of the game but their is no escaping the fact Sizing Europe is powder puff at the business end of his races, how many races have you heard the word WEAKENED where this softy is concerned?.
Having won a Greatwood hurdle, an Irish Champion hurdle, An Arlke , a Champion chase,and circa 650k sterling prize money hes doing well for a powder puff of a horse
That's why I'm saying play to his strong points,which appear to be his ability to travel and jump well on good ground at trips ranging from 2 miles to 2 1/2miles. I'm not saying he's the greatest two mile champion chaser ever(Far from it). But I do think he can be placed better and 3 mile slogs around Down Royal on tacky ground don't play to his strong points.
This year doesn't look like being a vintage Queen Mother Chase either. Both of last season's top novices Captain Chris and Finians Rainbow might be campaigned over further. Of that pair I prefer FINIANS RAINBOW even though CAPTAIN CHRIS beat him in the Arkle. But FINIANS RAINBOW jumped superbly that day and looked a real top two miler. CAPTAIN CHRIS is clearly a serious horse but right handed and over further would seem his perfect conditions. So it may not be a vintage renewal again. If I were Nicky Henderson I'd have a crack at the 2 mile route with FINIANS RAINBOW,Henderson knows how to win with top two milers.REMMITANCE MAN,TRAVADO and TIUTCHEV were all very fast horses. Though it was REMMITANCE MAN who landed the Arkle and Queen Mother Chase in successive years 1991/92. He was a brillant horse.
So that leaves his old rival BIG ZEB. There's not a lot between the pair although I've always rated BIG ZEB slightly better but the Cheltenham factor brings them closer ! What is against both BIG ZEB and SIZING EUROPE is the Age Stat. In the last 25 years only 3 horses aged 10 or over have landed the Champion chase. MARTHAS SON(aged 10- 1997),ONE MAN(aged 10- 1998) and the great MOSCOW FLYER(-aged 11- 2005)
It's hard to see anything else come out of the woodwork. So perhaps its the year of the young pretender FINIANS RAINBOW..A lot of twists before now and March I'm quite certain.
This year doesn't look like being a vintage Queen Mother Chase either. Both of last season's top novices Captain Chris and Finians Rainbow might be campaigned over further. Of that pair I prefer FINIANS RAINBOW even though CAPTAIN CHRIS beat him in the Arkle. But FINIANS RAINBOW jumped superbly that day and looked a real top two miler. CAPTAIN CHRIS is clearly a serious horse but right handed and over further would seem his perfect conditions. So it may not be a vintage renewal again. If I were Nicky Henderson I'd have a crack at the 2 mile route with FINIANS RAINBOW,Henderson knows how to win with top two milers.REMMITANCE MAN,TRAVADO and TIUTCHEV were all very fast horses. Though it was REMMITANCE MAN who landed the Arkle and Queen Mother Chase in successive years 1991/92. He was a brillant horse.
So that leaves his old rival BIG ZEB. There's not a lot between the pair although I've always rated BIG ZEB slightly better but the Cheltenham factor brings them closer ! What is against both BIG ZEB and SIZING EUROPE is the Age Stat. In the last 25 years only 3 horses aged 10 or over have landed the Champion chase. MARTHAS SON(aged 10- 1997),ONE MAN(aged 10- 1998) and the great MOSCOW FLYER(-aged 11- 2005)
It's hard to see anything else come out of the woodwork. So perhaps its the year of the young pretender FINIANS RAINBOW..A lot of twists before now and March I'm quite certain.
I notice you're been selective moneypenny, you didn't mention his two fortunate victories, the grade 1 novice chase where Sizing was about to be swamped by Captain Cee Bee, and the grade 2 champion chase at Gowran where Rubi light had him stuffed.
High class jumping of fences with a high cruising tempo has helped this horse no end but nothing will convince me that he's none other than a total weakling in a finsh, there's a mountain of evidence to back up my argument.
High class jumping of fences with a high cruising tempo has helped this horse no end but nothing will convince me that he's none other than a total weakling in a finsh, there's a mountain of evidence to back up my argument.
I also didnt mention the champion hurdle he would have won only for his unfortunate injury. There is little doubt he would have lost both the races you mention
I also always had Sizing Europe down as a weak finisher but at Punchestown behind Big Zeb he really put his head down and fought.
But didn't Big Zebs jockey lose his whip on the run in slabster?, might have exagerrated the effort from Sizing.
Moneypenny c'mon there was not a thing wrong with him after the champion collapse, days later the excuses started.
Moneypenny c'mon there was not a thing wrong with him after the champion collapse, days later the excuses started.
Well as I say in a fairly weak era of Two Mile Chasing talent..This exciting horse should now stick to what he's different gravy at and that is Two Mile Chases as bar BIG ZEB there's nothing out there unless last years crack novice FINIANS RAINBOW comes good...bar that only the eternal bridesmaid FORPADDYTHEPLASTERER can be called a decent two miler..Maybe PEDDLERS CROSS might skip the ARKLE take on the older horses in Queen Mother !!! a horse I'd love to see go chasing is BINNOCULAR !!!
Last seasons novices look a terrible bunch on all the available evidence so far, I know we've still to see CC stepped up, but the fact Medermit was even giving him a race doesn't bode well, they're a bad lot and Finians is probably the most talented of them but is unfortunately a short runner.
Yeah unless FINIAN'S RAINBOW comes up to championship class it already looks like last years 1 2 SIZING EUROPE and BIG ZEB will fight out the 2012 renewal again come Queen mother champion chase Day ! Stats against them (age profile)But hard to see past the pair even this EARLY !
i_g_13.
You know very well he meant JP's Binocular(FR) ffs.
Good to have you back contributing Stam.......look forward to your Leopardstown thoughts !
Perhaps Bless and WK might even consider their position.
You know very well he meant JP's Binocular(FR) ffs.
Good to have you back contributing Stam.......look forward to your Leopardstown thoughts !
Perhaps Bless and WK might even consider their position.
I hate to say it but I haven't snatched any of the fancy prices available about SIZING EUROPE for the Queen Mother Chase. But as I pointed out earlier in this piece there really was a dearth of top class two milers around to trouble the big two from Ireland.
SIZING EUROPE is so quick at his fences that you almost wish another fence comes up quickly as he gains so much ground! The only danger in my view remains FINIANS RAINBOW and his only hope is to take on SIZING EUROPE a long way out and try to run the sting out of his finish. But as we saw in last Year's Arkle and at Ascot recently this ploy failed for FINIANS RAINBOW as both CAPTAIN CHRIS and SOMMERSBY reeled him in. So will Henderson revert to more patient tactics. SIZING EUROPE will be far better on the likely decent ground at Cheltenham and his accurate fence to fence bold jumping will see him hard to peg back.
BIG ZEB even in victories this year hasn't looked the horse of old and without Barry Geraghty his jumping isn't as fluent,Geraghty's loss is immense to BIG ZEB. Colm Murphy isn't exactly pulling up trees with his runners,he's endured a lean spell recently Glam Gerry was his last winner on the 29th December.
So for me the Champion Chase is clearly SIZING EUROPES to lose. At close to 6/4 the value has gone although I can only see FINIANS RAINBOW give him a race come March he's better than his Ascot Run..Its a dead match..I think BIG ZEBs best days are behind him even allowing for better ground !
Henry please keep this speedster to Two Miles and don't be afraid to let him make the runing again !
"If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It"
SIZING EUROPE is so quick at his fences that you almost wish another fence comes up quickly as he gains so much ground! The only danger in my view remains FINIANS RAINBOW and his only hope is to take on SIZING EUROPE a long way out and try to run the sting out of his finish. But as we saw in last Year's Arkle and at Ascot recently this ploy failed for FINIANS RAINBOW as both CAPTAIN CHRIS and SOMMERSBY reeled him in. So will Henderson revert to more patient tactics. SIZING EUROPE will be far better on the likely decent ground at Cheltenham and his accurate fence to fence bold jumping will see him hard to peg back.
BIG ZEB even in victories this year hasn't looked the horse of old and without Barry Geraghty his jumping isn't as fluent,Geraghty's loss is immense to BIG ZEB. Colm Murphy isn't exactly pulling up trees with his runners,he's endured a lean spell recently Glam Gerry was his last winner on the 29th December.
So for me the Champion Chase is clearly SIZING EUROPES to lose. At close to 6/4 the value has gone although I can only see FINIANS RAINBOW give him a race come March he's better than his Ascot Run..Its a dead match..I think BIG ZEBs best days are behind him even allowing for better ground !
Henry please keep this speedster to Two Miles and don't be afraid to let him make the runing again !
"If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It"
I'll say it again, only for his misfortune in Champion hurdle this horse would be up there with the all time legends. That setback also took a full season out of his career as he wasnt the same horse again for over a year
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