DOUVAN IS BACK ON TRACK
GREYHOUNDS
DOUVAN, dramatically beaten in last year’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, is on course for next month’s race.
The talented but fragile Douvan is set to lock horns with Altior, unbeaten over fences, in what is the must-see race of the meeting.
“Douvan is doing everything right,” said his trainer Willie Mullins. “He has a good few bits of work to do this week but so far all is well.”
Mullins has not run Douvan since he injured himself in last year’s Champion Chase.
“We had thought about running at Gowran earlier in the month but when I saw the heavy ground, I wasn’t keen,” he said.
“If he’d had a hard race or anything went wrong then he wouldn’t be ready, and I felt I could train him better at home.
“It’s better than 50-50 that he runs but he’s got some hard work to do this week. It’s a concern he hasn’t had a run but we’ll have to live with it.”
Mullins, the second most successful trainer at the Festival with 54 winners, four behind Nicky Henderson, has yet to win the Champion Chase.
“The clash with Altior should be exciting but I just hope I can get him back to the form he was in in November when he did a stunning piece of work,” said Mullins.
“Altior looked fantastic at Newbury and it should be a clash to savour. I will also run Min in the ® race.” Altior is 4-7 with Betway, Min 9-4 and Douvan a 4-1 shot.
Mullins, who is still looking for that elusive first victory in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup after saddling six runners-up, believes this year’s race is an open affair.
““We will run Killultagh Vic, Total Recall and possibly Djakadam,” he said. “Killultagh Vic was in a good position before he fell at the last fence in the Irish Gold Cup. I would not have been betting against him!
“The aim for Total Recall has always been the Grand National and he will take in the Gold Cup on the way.”
Un De Sceaux attempts to land the Ryanair for the second year running.
“He’s done well and is in great shape. He’s always very strong in his work of a morning and we’re happy.”
Mullins, who saddled a recordbreaking eight winners at the 2015 Festival, expects to have four runners in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.
Leaning
“I’m leaning towards the Champion for Yorkhill after he disappointed over fences. I’ve always thought he should have a crack at it.”
Faugheen, successful in the 2015 Champion Hurdle, is back on course for another crack at the hurdling crown after two disappointments this season.
“He was great when he won after a long break but has to up his game on his last run. He might not need to be as good as he once was.”
Mullins believes Footpad, the 11-10 favourite for the Arkle Chase, is a future Gold Cup horse.
“His jumping has catapulted him to the top,” he said.
He also believes both Blackbow and Hollowgraphic have solid claims in the Champion Bumper and is keen Getabird in the Supreme Hurdle and Stormy Ireland in the JCB Triumph Hurdle.
Alan Alger, of Betway, said: “We’re always wary of Willie Mullins coming into Cheltenham but he looks to be without any of the week’s leading fancies in the feature races and may have to settle for winners elsewhere.
“Min is his shortest-priced runner in any of the four championship races at 9-4 for the Betway Champion Chase and, with almost everyone siding with Altior at 4-6, he looks up against it.
“It’s unlikely Mullins will go home empty-handed at 9-1, though the 11-10 about him not claiming one of the four big prizes shows he doesn’t hold all the aces this year.”