DOU THE BIZ
He’s in different league
DOUVAN (3.30) can live up to his wonder horse reputation by blitzing his Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase rivals at Cheltenham this afternoon.
He is so superior to today’s opposition that it is simply a matter of how far he wins by.
A winner of all 13 of his races since joining Willie Mullins, he jumps immaculately and scores by a minimum of six lengths. That should be the case again today.
Fox Norton ran up against him here and at Aintree last spring. Douvan had 11 lengths in hand of him on the first occasion and 32 at the Grand National meeting.
Simply Ned has been put in his place by Fox Norton and Douvan this winter. He tries hard but does not cut the mustard in the top grade.
Special Tiara has come third in the last two runnings of the race. He finished five lengths ahead of God’s Own 12 months ago, but Tom George’s runner is the more consistent of the two. Both could make the first four again but it is hard to see them finishing first or second.
Paddy Brennan is reunited with Sir Valentino, on whom he has won four minor races. The eight-year-old is willing enough but held on a recent Exeter form line by Garde La Victoire, another smart handicapper from two to two-anda-half miles.
The latter has won four of his seven races over fences but fallen each time he has run in Grade One contests.
Two years of water has flown under the bridge since Sizing Granite won a Grade One novice chase from God’s Own at Aintree.
Sizing Granite has moved yards twice in that time but has regressed and not lived up to his promise. He was well beaten by Top Gamble at Fairyhouse last March and that one has no hope.