Sizing Europe leads Realt Dubh over the last at Punchestown© Photo Healy Racing
He had to dig deep but Sizing Europe gained compensation for his unfortunate Cheltenham defeat when justifying odds of 8/13 under Andrew Lynch in the Grade 1 Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown.
On terms with the front-running China Rock from as early as the third fence, once again Sizing Europe's jumping was a very important asset. Realt Dubh emerged as the danger up the straight but he was never as good as Sizing Europe in the jumping department.
Despite rolling around on the testing ground from before the final fence, the victorious Pistolet Bleu ten-year-old stayed on best on the run-in to beat Realt Dubh by two and a quarter lengths. Big Zeb travelled well to the business end but he got left behind by the principals up the straight and he came home eighteen lengths behind in third.
Successful trainer Henry de Bromhead said: "He was super, so tough and he kept battling away.
"We'll enjoy today – it's amazing, all of us at home put a lot of hard work into it. I'm not even looking back (at Cheltenham), I'm savouring today.
"Andrew knows him like the back of his hand at this stage and he jumped great – everything went to plan.
"On that ground he was there to be shot at and it was uncomfortable coming to the last but he's so tough and he ground it out.
"He was just getting a little bit tired, possibly as it came at the end of the season.
"Realt Dubh is a good horse, especially on that soft ground but our fellow is an unbelievable horse, one in a lifetime.
"It's very hard to win these races and fair play to Finian's Rainbow – he's won since at Aintree to frank the form (from Cheltenham).
"Our fellow is getting that bit older now and I wouldn't be opposed to trying him over three miles again next season."
Meanwhile Andrew Lynch remarked: "The ground is a bit softer than ideal for him but he has a big heart and he pulled out all the stops.
"He idled up the straight and though he is handling that ground better as he gets older, he is still way better on better ground." (GC & EM)
