This preview is taken from the 2009/10 National Hunt Season Guide by Graham Richards. With stable tours, horses to follow and newsletters for all major meetings through the season, it is an essential source of winners. Order your copy online today.

Arkle target for top-class former hurdler

Seven-year-old Sizing Europe (Pistolet Bleu - Jennie Dun, by Mandalus) is a winner of seven races, in a career interrupted by various training problems, including back trouble.

A winner of one bumper, he swiftly moved through the hurdle ranks to become a live Champion Hurdle contender. His performance in the AIG Hurdle in 2008 was one of the best hurdle performances in recent years. He had his final race over hurdles in April 2009. At that time, his FSF master rating over hurdles was just 2lb below that of Binocular, who is top rated.

Two races over fences have seen him display fluent jumping, while his galloping power is simply too much for the horses he has met. On his debut at Punchestown, Denis O’Reagan reported, “he jumped superbly and is one of the most natural jumpers I have ridden over fences.”

Sizing Europe looks likely to come over for the Paddy Power meeting in November. Long-term, his trainer has stated the Arkle will be his Festival Target. The last eight-year-old to win that race was none other then Moscow Flyer. His current FSF rating, albeit provisional, suggests to me he is more than capable of being competitive in the Ryanair Chase.

Currently, and in my opinion unbelievably, his two chases have led to an FSF rating just 8lb behind Imperial Commander He is clearly effective over two and a half miles, as his breeding suggests he should be. In addition, he has registered wins on good though to heavy ground. A winner going left and right-handed he won the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2007.

Given his history, any ante-post bets are clearly risky. Nevertheless, he may have put his back problems behind him. A fine big horse, the hurdles were always too easy for him to get over. Chasing is what he is built for and the way he jumps suggests, he may at last have a clear run through the season.