WINGS OF A DOUV
Mullins reckons superstar Douvan can gain sweet revenge for last year’s injury hell with victorious comeback
WILLIE MULLINS believes a cotton wool approach can see Douvan reproduce his deadly best.
The master handler is nursing his eight-year-old superstar back for a mission of vengeance in Wednesday’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.
Douvan was devastated in the race a year ago when he lost his unbeaten UK and Ireland record.
The Rich Ricci-owned beast appeared to flop as Special Tiara won the crown but it came to light immediately afterwards that a stress fracture sustained during the race had caused the nightmare.
Mullins hasn’t been able to unleash him since but it’s all systems go for the two-mile championship next week and a showdown with Nicky Henderson’s Altior.
The Closutton maestro is hoping a cautious approach will pay dividends as he said: “It was a big blow to everyone here when he was injured last season as he had been in such good form. Obviously we’ve had a major hiccup this year as well.
“Back in November he did the fastest piece of work I have ever seen him do. It was lightning. But the next morning he was lame again and we were told that we wouldn’t be able to train him for a year.
“However, within a week or 10 days, he was sound, so we steadily stepped up his work again. He stayed sound and we decided to run some tests again.
“There was obviously something there and it might come up when he runs again. But he might be able to live with it so you have to kick on. I don’t want to see him do a fast piece of work like he did in November again. We’ll save that for the racecourse.
“But his work at the moment is certainly good enough and I’m very happy with him.
“We’re taking it day by day and he has a few more good bits of work to do before he travels. But all being well he’ll be back for the Champion Chase.
“I just hope I can get him back to the level he was at in November because I remember saying to myself that if he reproduces that on the track he’d be very hard to beat.”
Mullins and stable jockey Ruby Walsh are a fearsome Festival combination.
But the likes of son Patrick and Paul Townend are also riders with chances of success for the handler as he takes another strong team to the Cotswolds. With 54 winners to his name the Irishman is hugely popular amongst the punters.
Six winners wasn’t enough to beat Gordon Elliott to the top trainer’s award 12 months ago but he said: “It would be great if we could be leading trainer again.
“But at this stage of the game we’re going to Cheltenham hoping that you get a winner and get on the board, hopefully on the first day, and then take off.
“It’s tough. Gordon probably has better bankers and you never know what way the handicaps are going to go. I would never dream of going there thinking I could be leading trainer. I just hope we don’t have a washout and a bad week.
“I’m delighted with the team that we have going there. We have some great chances.”