Sizing Europe reigns supreme in Tingle Creek

Report: Sandown, Saturday
Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase (Grade 1) 2m, 4yo+

SIZING EUROPE put in a spectacular round of jumping toscore a convincing victory in the prestigious Tingle Creek Chase.

Run at a breakneck gallop from the off, Sizing Europe emerged from the tricky Railway Fences with a slender lead and despite having Kauto Stone for company turning for home, the Champion Chase winner started to draw clear on the climb for home to register an impressive win.

Boylesports reacted by cutting the Henry de Bromhead-trained winner to 5-2 (from 5-1) for a repeat win at Cheltenham in March. 

Despite the rain softened ground, Wishfull Thinking set off like a scalded cat under Richard Johnson, putting greater emphasis on his rivals' jumping.

In typical Sandown fashion, the complexion of the racechanged at the three Railway Fences, with Gauvain falling at the first and Kauto Stone doing his best to unship Ruby Walsh at the third.

In contrast, Sizing Europe flew all three and emerged with a narrow advantage as poor old Wishfull Thinking waved the white flag. Kauto Stone was quickly back on an even keel and still posed a threat to the eventual winner.

However, another bold leap at the Pond Fence gave Sizing Europe the upper hand and under a confident Andrew Lynch, Ann and Alan Potts’ champion started to turn the screw.

Approaching the last it was Sizing Europe’s race to lose but the 11-8 favourite was not to be denied a fourth Grade 1 win over fences and was once again foot perfect.

There had been a lingering fear that a hard race when second over 3m on his return in the JNwine.com Champion Chase may have left its mark on Sizing Eurpoe, but Lynch was always happy with the winner.

The winning jockey said: "We went a good gallop from the word go and he got into a nice rhythm and jumped super. He's a horse you can run over any trip and he'll try his heart out but two miles is his trip. He's run on heavy in Ireland so we weren't worried about the ground. He's such a good horse."

Winning trainer De Bromhead added: "He was a bit slow at the second down the back and I got a bit worried, but then he was brilliant and just winged fences. He then did his normal thing where whenever the others start struggling he starts cantering. He is an amazing horse.

"The plan is to givehim a break now and bring him back for a run before Cheltenham, probably at Punchestown in the race he ran in last year. After that we'll hopefully head for the Queen Mother."

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls was delighted with therunner-up and nominated the Ryanair Chase as his main target. He said: "He has run a blinder and has jumped awesome. For a five-year-old he was fantastic.

"He’s not the biggest or has the most scope but he has run really well. This season he will go for the Ryanair and hopefully step up again next season."