Article Date: 12-January-2012
Last year's winners Sizing Europe and Albertas Run are among the high-quality entries announced today for two of Cheltenham's championship contests over fences, the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase and Ryanair Chase.
Sizing Europe, also winner of the 2010 Arkle Chase, looks set for a rematch with last year's runner-up Big Zeb in the £320,000 sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase, the highlight on day two of The Festival, Wednesday, March 14. Sizing Europe is 9/4 with sportingbet.com to retain his crown with Big Zebsecond favourite at 9/2.
As well as all the established two-mile chasing stars, the 19 sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase entries include the outstanding novices Al Ferof, the 2011 William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victor and Peddlers Cross, successful in the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle in 2010. No novice since Piperton in 1962 has won the Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Others engaged include last year's Arkle Chase runner-up Finian's Rainbow, Kauto Star's half-brother Kauto Stone and Hold Fast, a seven-length winner of a Sandown handicap chase on his second start for Paul Nicholls on Saturday.
There are 38 entries for the £260,000 Grade One Ryanair Chase, run at The Festival on Thursday, March 15. Albertas Run, who also landed the 2008 RSA Chase, has won the past two Ryanair Chases and his opposition this year could include Noble Prince, winner of last season's inaugural Grade Two Jewson Novices' Chase at The Festival.
The eight-year-old most recently finished runner-up to Big Zeb in the Grade One Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on December 27 and trainer Paul Nolan reports that another trip to Cheltenham is on the cards.
"Hopefully, Noble Prince will run in the Ryanair Chase. He goes for the Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse on January 22 and that will be his final run before he heads to Cheltenham," said Nolan.
"We were very pleased with him at Leopardstown. Big Zeb beat us easily in the end but it was a very good run from our horse and I think that he will improve with a faster pace. He's still a decent enough two‑mile chaser but two miles and five furlongs around Cheltenham is right up his street.
"He travelled and jumped well in the Jewson Novices' Chase last season. The Ryanair will obviously be a different gravy this time and it looks like it will be a very competitive contest."
Noble Prince is one of 14 Irish-trained entries in the two mile and five furlong contest with others engaged including the Robbie Hennessy-trained Rubi Light, winner of the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in December.
Robbie Hennessy believes that Rubi Light has a “serious chance” in the Grade 1 at Cheltenham, although any cut in the ground would improve his chance, as he was today revealed among the entries for the £260,000 contest.
The seven-year-old found just Synchronised too powerful last time in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown just after Christmas.
The Co Meath trainer told bookmaker Paddy Power: “There is not a bother with Rubi Light after Leopardstown and he is in great form. He had a week off out in the paddocks after the race to freshen him up.
“The ground there was a little bit quicker than he would like as his best form is on heavy ground. He'll go on that ground but he's better on heavy.
“But overall I was happy with the run as you always have to respect horses brought over by Jonjo O'Neill and JP McManus and ridden by Tony McCoy. He was runner-up and finished best of the Irish.”
After his Lexus outing, Hennessy mentioned going for the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 12 or the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on February 18 and he has now decided on the latter.
He continued: “At this point he'll go for the Red Mills as he won that race last year and we'll keep the plan the same.
“He was third in the Ryanair last year but the only thing is if it was soft I'd be a lot more confident. But it looks like he is a better horse this year and he has grown into himself and seems to have improved.
“If he can improve on last year's run he has a serious chance.”
Kalahari King was last seen in action when pulled up before the ninth obstacle in the Amlin 1965 Chase at Ascot in November.
Murphy, who trains in North Yorkshire, said: “Kalahari King is fine and back in work and I'm very happy with him. He's been back cantering for a couple of weeks after the vets said that he's okay.
“I'd like to get a run into him but we'll see how it goes and if he comes really good in the second week of February. If not he'll go straight to Cheltenham.
“He cracked a splint bone and had a slight fracture but luckily Graham [Lee] pulled him up in time.”
Further notable entries include Captain Chris and his stablemate Wishfull Thinking, runner-up to Noble Prince in last season's Jewson Novices' Chase, Kauto Stone, the Nicky Henderson-trained Riverside Theatre and Great Endeavour, winner of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.
THE sportingbet.com QUEEN MOTHER CHAMPION CHASE
Class 1, Grade 1, 2m, £320,000. Wednesday, March 14th. 2m.
Form Horse Age Owner Trainer
3111-11 AL FEROF (FR) 7 John Hales Paul Nicholls
122-111 BIG ZEB (IRE) 11 Pat Redmond Colm Murphy IRE
214311 BLAZING TEMPO (IRE) 8 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
12013-0 DAN BREEN (IRE) 7 Stuart & Simon Mercer David Pipe
11121-1 FINIAN'S RAINBOW (IRE) 9 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
2/2P-233 FORPADYDEPLASTERER (IRE) 10 Goat Racing Syndicate Tom Cooper IRE
520-1F1 GAUVAIN (GER) 10 Jared Sullivan & Simon Brown Nick Williams
152-460 GHIZAO (GER) 8 The Johnson & Stewart Families Paul Nicholls
1/41U-41 HOLD FAST (IRE) 8 Andrea & Graham Wylie Paul Nicholls
21/460-0 I'M SO LUCKY 10 Sheila Brookhouse David Pipe
533144 I'MSINGINGTHEBLUES (IRE) 10 Jo Tracey David Pipe
1103-12 KAUTO STONE (FR) 6 Robin Geffen Paul Nicholls
31-4435 NACARAT (FR) 11 Simon Clarke Tom George
24-3043 OISEAU DE NUIT (FR) 10 Terry Warner Colin Tizzard
120-112 PEDDLERS CROSS (IRE) 7 Tim Leslie Donald McCain
2113-12 REALT DUBH (IRE) 8 Derek Sharkey Noel Meade IRE
31-2121 SIZING EUROPE (IRE) 10 Ann & Alan Potts Partnership Henry de Bromhead IRE
53-1224 SOMERSBY (IRE) 8 Camilla Radford Henrietta Knight
21-1652 WISHFULL THINKING 9 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
19 entries
5 Irish-trained
sportingbet.com bets: 9/4 Sizing Europe; 9/2 Big Zeb; 11/2 Finians Rainbow; 12/1 Peddlers Cross; 14/1 Al Ferof; 16/1 Wishful Thinking; 20/1
Kauto Stone, Realt Dubh; 25/1 Hold Fast; 28 bar
THE RYANAIR CHASE
Class 1, Grade 1, 2m 5f, £260,000. Thursday, March 15th. 2m 5f.
Form Horse Age Owner Trainer
4012-41 AERIAL (FR) 6 Tony Hayward and Barry Fulton Paul Nicholls
4FP12-1 ALBERTAS RUN (IRE) 11 Trevor Hemmings Jonjo O'Neill
52-FU11 APT APPROACH (IRE) 9 Greenstar Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
214311 BLAZING TEMPO (IRE) 8 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
211-1U3 CAPTAIN CHRIS (IRE) 8 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
4-U1231 CHAMPION COURT (IRE) 7 Mark Boothright Martin Keighley
11121-1 FINIAN'S RAINBOW (IRE) 9 Michael Buckley Nicky Henderson
2/2P-233 FORPADYDEPLASTERER (IRE) 10 Goat Racing Syndicate Tom Cooper IRE
1/01651- FRENCH OPERA 9 Judy Wilson & Martin Landau Nicky Henderson
520-1F1 GAUVAIN (GER) 10 Jared Sullivan & Simon Brown Nick Williams
2F6-140 GREAT ENDEAVOUR (IRE) 8 David Johnson David Pipe
5221-P0 HELL'S BAY (FR) 10 Tony Fear & Anthony Norman Colin Tizzard
21/460-0 I'M SO LUCKY 10 Sheila Brookhouse David Pipe
533144 I'MSINGINGTHEBLUES (IRE) 10 Jo Tracey David Pipe
111/1/00/- JACK THE GIANT (IRE) 10 Hanbury Syndicate Nicky Henderson
30/1122- JESSIES DREAM (IRE) 9 David Johnson Gordon Elliott IRE
(5)42P-5P KALAHARI KING (FR) 11 Julie Morgan Ferdy Murphy
1103-12 KAUTO STONE (FR) 6 Robin Geffen Paul Nicholls
16/1155- LITTLE JOSH (IRE) 10 Tony Bloom Nigel Twiston-Davies
51124-0 MAGNANIMITY (IRE) 8 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE
F/U563U- MAHOGANY BLAZE (FR) 10 Lorna Berryman Nigel Twiston-Davies
2/1/31U-P MAJESTIC CONCORDE (IRE) 9 Dr Ronan Lambe Dermot Weld IRE
142-132 MEDERMIT (FR) 8 The Dunkley & Reilly Partnership Alan King
21-F122 NOBLE PRINCE (GER) 8 Des Sharkey Paul Nolan IRE
5141-5U POQUELIN (FR) 9 The Stewart Family Paul Nicholls
1FF-F11 QUEL ESPRIT (FR) 8 Red Barn Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
1PU-345 RARE BOB (IRE) 10 D A Syndicate Dessie Hughes IRE
2113-12 REALT DUBH (IRE) 8 Derek Sharkey Noel Meade IRE
423130 RIVAGE D'OR (FR) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Dessie Hughes IRE
15F/121- RIVERSIDE THEATRE 8 Jimmy Nesbitt Partnership Nicky Henderson
0-512F5 ROI DU MEE (FR) 7 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
213-312 RUBI LIGHT (FR) 7 Bill Hennessy Robbie Hennessy IRE
53-1224 SOMERSBY (IRE) 8 Camilla Radford Henrietta Knight
504-506 TARTAK (FR) 9 Power Panels Electrical Systems Ltd Tom George
3/1P-3FU THE NIGHTINGALE (FR) 9 Graham Roach Paul Nicholls
10-U1P2 TRANQUIL SEA (IRE) 10 Dermot Cox/Nelius Hayes Edward O'Grady IRE
21-1652 WISHFULL THINKING 9 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
1100-32 WOOLCOMBE FOLLY (IRE) 9 The Hon Mrs Townshend Paul Nicholls
38 entries
14 Irish-trained
Pictured below: Sizing Europe winning the Champion Chase in 2011
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