SIZING EUROPE ROLLED back the years this evening to win the Boylesports.com Champion Chase for a second time at Punchestown.
The 12 year-old repeated his 2012 triumph in the race to return victorious for the 21st time and register an eighth win at the highest level for his trainer Henry De Bromhead.
There had been drama earlier in the race when the favourite Hidden Cyclone fell and hindered Module who was subsequently pulled up.
Leading before the second-last fence under jockey Andrew Lynch, Sizing Europe (7-1) finished the race powerfully with Ballynagour second and Savello third.
There was emotional scenes after Sizing Europe’s victory with speculation afterwards that the winner may now be retired.
Earlier Faugheen cantered to victory at the Herald Champion Novice Hurdle and won by a dozen lengths with Ruby Walsh on board.
The success saw Faugheen follow up on being one of the most impressive Irish winners at Cheltenham last month when he skated to a four-and-a-half length win in the Neptune Novices Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained horse was the 1/2 favourite and lived up to that billing with a comfortable win. Valseur Lido finished second with Sergeant Reckless back in third.
The final Grade 1 race of the day was won by 7/2 chance Carlingford Lough in the Growise Champion Novice Chase.
Tony McCoy was on board the John Kiely-trained horse that held off Ballycasey to triumph. Morning Assembly, who finished third in the RSA Chase in Cheltenham recently, replicated that placing this evening.
Elsewhere Be Positive won as the 3/1 favourite on the opener, Cool Macavity was the 9/1 winner of the bragbet.com Handicap Hurdle while 12/1 shot Very Much So took the Goffs Land Rover Bumper.
