Sizing Europe, winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase 12 months ago, can repeat the feat this afternoon in the showpiece of day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

Trained in Ireland by Henry de Bromhead, the ten-year-old will again be partnered by Andrew Lynch as he bids to reward favourite backers, who have been rock-solid in their support of this ultra-reliable gelding in recent betting exchanges.

Sizing Europe has won his last two races, at Sandown and Punchestown, in the style of a horse at the top of his game. He also has a fine course record, having won the Arkle Chase here in his novice year. He will surely be hard to beat.

Grands Crus sticks to novice company in the RSA Chase and, like Sizing Europe, is set to start at cramped odds.

It is no surprise. A high-class staying hurdler, who found only the mighty Big Buck’s too good for him last season, Grands Crus, trained by David Pipe, has rattled up a hat-trick of wins since his attentions were turned to chasing.

A strong-travelling performer, the seven-year-old is a class act and he promises to be too strong for Bobs Worth and Join Together.

Nicky Henderson, who made a flying start to the meeting when nap selection Sprinter Sacre made mincemeat of his rivals in yesterday’s Arkle Chase, has every chance of following up with Simonsig in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle.

Barry Geraghty’s mount has won three of his four races this season and was hugely impressive at Kelso last time when scoring without coming off a tight rein. He looks hard to beat.

In the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle, a note should be made of Carlito Brigante, winner of the race 12 months ago and aiming for a notable double for shrewd Irish trainer Gordon Elliott.

Although he has not cut any ice in his two runs over hurdles this season, Carlito Brigante finished sixth lengths behind the top-class Quevega at Punchestown in May. Sharpened by a recent creditable performance on the Flat at Dundalk, Carlito Brigante is expected to go close.

Sir Alex Ferguson has a fighting chance of figuring among the winners with Harry The Viking, who carries the colours of the Manchester United boss.

Unbeaten in four starts this season, Harry The Viking won at Doncaster in December, beating Ikorodu Road, who franked the form when landing the Grimthorpe Chase on the same track earlier this month.

Norton trainer John Quinn has chances in the Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle with Royal Bonsai, the mount of Dougie Costello.

The four-year-old has won two of his three races and is expected to relish this stiff track. He makes each-way appeal.

The concluding Weatherbys Champion Bumper National Hunt Flat Race looks fiercely competitive and, while David O’Meara’s Ifandbutwhynot could pop up in the frame at a big price, New Year’s Eve gets the vote to extend his unbeaten sequence to three.

John Ferguson’s well-bred Motivator gelding has been very impressive in his two victories, not least at Market Rasen last month. He could be a bit special and is awarded the nap vote.

Racing selections

Cheltenham (today)

1.30 Harry The Viking, 2.05 Simonsig, 2.40 Grands Crus, 3.20 Sizing Europe, 4.00 Carlito Brigante, 4.40 Royal Bonsai, 5.15 New Year’s Eve (NAP).

Today’s other meetings

Huntingdon, Kempton and Southwell.

Wolverhampton (tomorrow)

5.45 Gin Twist, 6.15 Red Somerset, 6.45 Gritstone, 7.15 Eshaab, 7.45 Alhaban, 8.15 The Magic Of Rio, 8.45 Mother Jones, 9.15 Consistant.

Tomorrow’s other meetings

Cheltenham, Hexham and Towcester.