IT was very pleasing to see Sizing John win as he did at Punchestown yesterday. Pleasing for a lot of reasons. Pleasing because he had a tough campaign last season, showing up at Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Punchestown to win his Gold Cup treble, with possibly the hardest race of the three coming at the latter-mentioned, when we last saw him. Pleasing because of his connections, the ever popular Jessica Harrington-Robbie Power combination, and of course, the late Ann and Alan Potts, who had their dreams come through when they were present when this horse won them a Gold Cup last March. Pleasing because he is an Irish Cheltenham Gold Cup winner and because he’s just a very good horse - and people like to see good horses.

But perhaps what is the most pleasing factor about this son of Midnight Legend is that he is still only a seven-year-old. It’s great to win a Gold Cup at any age but to win at as a seven-year-old and as a second-season chaser creates the promise for more.