Sizing and Zeb among Champion 19

Published at Jan 12, 2012, 12:18

Irish duo Sizing Europe and Big Zeb head 19 entries for the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on March 14.

Sizing Europe is the current champion after beating 2010 winner Big Zeb last year and they are set to clash again on day two of The Festival.

Realt Dubh, Blazing Tempo and Forpadydeplasterer complete the Irish challenge.

Finian's Rainbow heads the opposition, though he is also entered in the Ryanair Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup.

As well as all the established two-mile chasing stars, the Champion Chase entries include the outstanding novices Al Ferof, the 2011 William Hill Supreme Novices' Hurdle victor and last year's Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross. No novice since Piperton in 1962 has won the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Others engaged include 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.

Ghizao completes a quartet of Nicholls horses to be entered while David Pipe is triple-handed with Dan Breen, I'msingingtheblues and I'm So Lucky.

Gauvain, Nacarat, Oiseau De Nuit, Somersby and Wishfull Thinking complete the 19.

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