After the disappointment of seeing Min beaten in the opening race, Douvan delivered a rapid pick-me-up for the Irish at Cheltenham today.
The sparking chaser was an almost unbackable favourite, going off at 1/4, and Ruby Walsh had him at or near the front from the early going.
Vaniteux and Sizing John were the main challengers in the betting market and so it proved, with Vaniteux pushed up alongside the Willie-Mullins-trained Douvan as they headed for home, with Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson threatening to repeat their upset of Mullins’ Min in the previous race.
But Douvan never looked under duress and when Vaniteux fell at the second last Douvan was left to stretch away from Sizing John to record his second Festival winner by a comfortable margin.
There was no doubting Douvan in the Arkle! https://t.co/16bqiG6laM pic.twitter.com/3y09DQyvT5
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) March 15, 2016
After the race, owner Rich Ricci piled the praise on Douvan by calling him “the best we’ve had”, while Walsh joked that he was holding something in reserve for a trip to Punchestown next month.
“He only did what he had to do, really,” Walsh said. “He’s very, very good in front. He jumped super and travelled really well. Willie is not a boisterous person, but he’s never hidden the regard he holds this horse. He’s an incredible horse.”
