Sizing Europe is 11-8 (from 2-1) favourite with Coral for a repeat win in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, following his defeat of Big Zeb in Sunday's Tied Cottage Chase.
The Punchestown runner-up is eased to 5-1 (from 7-2), with Finian's Rainbow the leading British challenger at 6-1 with
Coral.
With all four winners of the Festival's Championship races set to defend their titles next month, Coral go 20-1 that Long Run (Gold Cup), Sizing Europe (Champion Chase), Hurricane Fly (Champion Hurdle) and Big Buck's (World Hurdle) are successful once again, a scenario that the bookies fear.
"Hurricane Fly and Big Buck's are already odds-on for their respective races, Sizing Europe has shortened up at the head of the Champion Chase betting, and Long Run remains favourite for the Gold Cup despite two defeat this season, and all four are likely to feature on numerous Festival betting slips next month," Coral's David Stevens explained to Bettingpro.
"Our best chance of preventing an unprecedented clean-sweep for the reigning champions could come from Kauto Star in the Gold Cup, but a historic third win in the race for that superstar would hardly constitute a good result for the layers either!" added Stevens.
**Queen Mother Champion Chase
11-8 (from 2-1) Sizing Europe, 5-1 Big Zeb, 6-1 Finian’s Rainbow, 12-1 Pedlers Cross, 14-1 Kauto Stone, 20-1 Blazing Tempo, Gauvain, Realt Dubh, Wishfull Thinking, 25-1 Bar
