10/1 shot Sizing Europe won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham with Irish horses occupying the first four places in the big one of the day at Prestbury Park.
Sizing Europe, who won the Arkyle last year for Henry de Bromhead, held off a challenge from Big Zeb with Captain Cee Bee in third and Golden Silver back in fourth.
With Andrew Lynch on the saddle, Sizing Europe led from a long way out and eventually had five lengths to spare over Big Zeb, while hotly-tipped Master Minded stumbled at the last fence and was eased afterwards by jockey Ruby Walsh.
Speaking after the race, a beaming Andrew Lynch said: “I’m delighted and the horse jumped an awful lot better today.
“He travelled really well and I was afraid something might just quicken past me up the straight, but he’s a hardy boy.
“Henry always said he wanted a strongly-run, two-mile race, and this is the only race all year that suits him.”
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