Riding Douvan is like driving Ferrari
RIDING Champion Chase hot-pot Douvan is like being tossed the keys to a flash sports car and told to enjoy the ride.
Patrick Mullins had that pleasure at Leopardstown in December 2015 and has never forgotten the vibe.
‘It’s like waking up at Christmas and seeing a Ferrari outside your front door,’ he grinned.
‘I managed to keep intact, which is a big bonus.’
Douvan will join Flyingbolt, Bobs Worth and Vautour as winners of three different races in consecutive Festivals should he win on Wednesday and Mullins wouldn’t swap him for anything.
‘To me he’s like Usain Bolt. He’s big and leggy and you pick him out at the start. He’s a freak. He’s all legs, like Bolt.’
The champion amateur has had one of the best seats in the house since his Cheltenham Festival debut at 17.
In the ten years since, he’s ridden three Cheltenham winners, Cousin Vinny (2008), Champagne Fever (2012) in the Bumper and Back In Focus (2013) in the National Hunt Chase and seen his father Willie collect five top trainer’s titles.
So what will ‘WPM’ be like on the eve of Cheltenham?
‘Monday night is no problem. He switches off, which is a great asset of his,’ said Patrick.
Douvan could be the first half of a Double-D delight for the Mullins team who also have high hopes for Djakadam in Friday’s Gold Cup.
‘My mother (Jacqui) has been saying “we’ve eight Irish Gold Cups, which is brilliant, but we’ve no Gold Cup so we should consider changing our tactics.”
‘Dad has listened to Mum so we haven’t gone to Leopardstown for the Irish Gold Cup. If Djakadam does win, Jacqui will take a slice of the credit,’ quipped Mullins.
Djakadam has been second twice in the Gold Cup and is still only eight. Could it be third time lucky?
‘The Fellow was placed three times, before he won, so we’ve time on our side. Last year, Djakadam fell at Cheltenham in January, got cut and didn’t get an ideal prep.
‘He didn’t jump another fence until the first in the Gold Cup, and yet jumped spectacularly. He’s as good a chance this year as he’s ever had,’ he added.