Douvan’s class to tell in Champion Chase
BETTING takes a back seat when there is a brilliant horse on show and that is certainly the case with Douvan, who can live up to his top billing in t he Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.
While many star names are missing from the Festival, the Willie Mullins-trained Douvan is the one that National Hunt fans cannot wait to see strut his stuff.
Douvan has won at the last two Festivals, in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and the Arkle, and provided he puts in his usual sound round of jumping then he should outclass the opposition.
He is nine out of nine over fences and looked as good as ever when strolling home in the Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown last month in his last public appearance.
With Douvan certain to go off at long odds-on, there may be each-way value in Special Tiara for a place.
Henry Bromhead’s runner was third to Sprinter Sacre 12 months ago and can be excused his last performance behind Un De Sceaux on this course as he would have hated the testing ground. Special Tiara is a better horse when spring arrives.
Alpha Des Obeaux found only Thistlecrack too good in last year’s World Hurdle and the Irish raider is fancied to go one better in the RSA Chase.
Mouse Morris’ charge is clearly suited by the better ground conditions in the spring and by three miles.
However, the only time he has run over that trip over fences was a big disappointment as he broke a blood vessel in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas and was pulled up.
Morris has since given Alpha Des Obeaux a clean bill of health and seems quite keen on the seven-year-old’s prospects.
His overall profile gives him a big chance.
Meanwhile, Nicky Henderson became the most successful trainer in the history of the Stan James Champion Hurdle after Buveur D’Air claimed the feature race on day one of the Festival.
The Seven Barrows handler has now secured six victories in the two-mile showpiece.
Just for good measure, Henderson also saddled runner-up My Tent Or Yours, who finished second in the race for a third time, ahead of Petit Mouchoir.