RACING/AIG Hurdle:Sizing Europe's blitz of yesterday's AIG Champion Hurdle opposition at Leopardstown provoked a lot of noise from the 9,000-strong crowd, but even that was drowned out by the sound of a new superstar crashing through to the forefront of the racing game.

Hyping horses has a long and discreditable history, but there is no denying the impact the imposing "new-kid-on-the-block" made in thrashing the former dual-champion Hardy Eustace and Al Eile by eight lengths.

Sizing Europe had been the horse loaded with potential going in against those grizzled veterans, but rarely has potential been delivered on more spectacularly.

Andrew McNamara is only 24, but he is one of those young jockeys blessed with an old head. Not even an emotional Hennessy win last year on Beef Or Salmon, or a St Stephen's Day treble here last month, had him waving his arms in celebration.

But a first experience of Sizing Europe was enough to have McNamara doing a fair Frankie Dettori impression as they passed the line yesterday.

"I couldn't believe he was travelling so easy," the rider grinned. "He felt fantastic. He's a huge jumper with a huge stride who almost jumps too big for this hurdling game."

Asked about the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, the smile got even broader: "Hardy Eustace has won two of them and he gave him a good stuffing."

Not surprisingly, bookmaker reaction was to almost fall over each other in cutting Sizing Europe's Cheltenham odds to 5 to 2 favourite.

His trainer, Henry De Bromhead, had been surprised at how Sizing Europe was made ante-post for the AIG, but he's going to have to get used to that sort of pressure - and a lot more.

"It looks like we're going to have to run him in the Champion now!" beamed the Waterford trainer. "I'm amazed at that. We've always thought the world of him, but it's great to see him prove it. His galloping is relentless, but to beat those horses like that is unreal."

Normally excuses come easily to the beaten but, ominously for those in the camp of the reigning champ, Sublimity, and any cross-sea contender, there was universal praise from Sizing Europe's routed opponents.

"He looks a champion," declared Hardy Eustace's trainer Dessie Hughes, and jockey Conor O'Dwyer was even more effusive.

"I've never gone faster in my life on Hardy Eustace and still they were queuing up behind me," he said. "I'd say Hardy Eustace and Al Eile ran up to form. But the winner looks a serious, serious horse. That was the business."

With the Champion Hurdle over six weeks away, De Bromhead is understandably wary of counting any chickens, and warned: "There's plenty left out there. There's Sublimity and a lot of other good horses. But it is very exciting."

It's not clear whether McNamara will stay on board Sizing Europe for Cheltenham.

De Bromhead, for his part, already looks to have his priorities in the right place for the nerve-jangling run up to the festival.

"We won't do much with him, he likes to run fresh," he said. "Looking after his ego will be the most important thing."

Just as well Sizing Europe can't read his reviews this morning then, or he'd be insufferable.

1 SIZING EUROPE (AJ McNamara) 100/30

2 Hardy Eustace (C O'Dwyer) 5/2 jt-fav

3 Al Eile (TJ Murphy) 5/2 Jt-fav