Whether Sizing Europe was an unlucky loser at last month's Cheltenham Festival is open to some debate, but there is no doubting his determined success in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown was richly deserved.
Following superb performances in the Tingle Creek at Sandown and in the Tied Cottage Chase at this track, Henry de Bromhead's superstar was sent off the odds-on favourite to defend his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown at Prestbury Park.
But as he and Finian's Rainbow faced up to the famous hill, confusion reigned over whether the final fence had been dolled off, costing the defending champion valuable momentum as he swerved the obstacle at the last minute.
Subsequent Aintree winner Finian's Rainbow eventually took the spoils after a titanic tussle, but compensation awaited for Sizing Europe as he showed guts to go with his undoubted class to emerge victorious in his homeland.
The 8-13 favourite tracked early pacesetter China Rock for the much of the two-mile journey and jumped into the lead four fences from home.
The gambled-on Realt Dubh stuck with him all the way up the home straight, but Sizing Europe would not be denied, plugging on tenaciously for Andrew Lynch to score by two and a quarter lengths.
"I'm not even looking back (at Cheltenham), I'm savouring today," said De Bromhead. "It's amazing, all of us at home put a lot of hard work into it.
"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).
"The ground is testing enough and they are finishing tired. Realt Dubh was bearing down on us there at the last and I was getting a bit nervous, but in fairness our lad ground it out and we're delighted.
"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.
"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)."
Sizing Europe is a best-price 10-1 to regain his Champion Chase crown back at Cheltenham next March, but the trainer is not ruling out stepping his charge back up in distance at some stage.
He has finished second in the last two renewals of the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal over three miles.
De Bromhead said: "I've no idea what we'll do at this stage. We're just going to enjoy today and we'll discuss things with Alan and Ann (Potts, owners) over the summer.
"He's had an unbelievable season and we'll mull it over and see. He'll be 11 this time next year, so he's getting older. Maybe we'll step him up again, we'll see.
"I wouldn't be opposed to trying him over three miles again next season."
Lynch said: "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."
