RACING NEWS ROUND-UP: HENRY DE BROMHEAD still plans to return his star chaser, Sizing Europe, to action at Punchestown on Thursday despite authorities at the Co Kildare track having to take the rare step of watering the course in October.
Ground conditions were officially “good to firm” at Punchestown yesterday which prompted a decision to put 6-8mms of water on the track. By the time the first of two day’s racing at the course begins tomorrow it is expected that up to 12mms of water will have been put on.
It is an unusual problem for this time of year and comes ahead of a two-day fixture that features Sizing Europe’s return to action in the Grade Three Star Chase on Thursday.
Both Kicking King and War Of Attrition have won the almost three-mile event in the past and De Bromhead is keen to use the race to test the stamina of last year’s Arkle winner ahead of a possible Gold Cup campaign.
Sizing Europe is currently a 16 to 1 shot for the Gold Cup in ante-post betting with Paddy Power.
“I hope it will be nice good ground and Riche Galway (Punchestown manager) says he is putting the water on. Hopefully it will be okay. The one thing you would worry about is that it is his first run back this season but he does love goodish ground,” the Co Waterford trainer said yesterday.
Among Sizing Europe’s possible rivals are the Grade One-winning novice Pandorama, who Noel Meade is targeting at Newbury’s Hennessy Gold Cup, and China Rock, who returned to action with a Grade Two success at Gowran recently.
However, Sizing Europe is the star attraction and the Punchestown staff are working to provide safe going this week. “I’m here since 1998 and I’ve never seen watering in October but that’s what we have to do,” Richie Galway said yesterday.
“It goes against what we want to do and you would be half worried what it will do to us later in the year but this is no borderline decision. The ground is too quick right now and we have to water. Starting today I could see us putting on 10-12 mms and then seeing what that does. We’ve had a dry few weeks and this week will be dry as well so we have to do it,” he added.
De Bromhead also confirmed yesterday he plans to run his unbeaten novice Loosen My Load in Thursday’s other Grade Three event, the Buck House Chase, provided the going is suitable.
Loosen My Load won at Punchestown at the backend of last season and returned to action at Listowel last month with an impressive victory. “He’s already had an outing so he should be fine,” De Bromhead said.
Tomorrow’s Punchestown feature is the Listed Grabel Mares Hurdle where Voler La Vedette could attempt back-to-back victories. Her trainer Colm Murphy has already nominated the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham as a possible end-of-season target for last season’s festival runner-up.
