Cheltenham Festival: Mullins believes Douvan can join Festival's greats

WILLIE Mullins does not need reminding that there are no racing certainties '“ Ireland's champion trainer has endured a torrid season.
Douvan and jockey Ruby Walsh.Douvan and jockey Ruby Walsh.
Douvan and jockey Ruby Walsh.

However, it will be one of the biggest shocks in steeplechasing history if Douvan does not win today’s Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Won 12 months ago by the now retired Sprinter Sacre amid stirring scenes, Ruby Walsh’s mount is bidding to join the elite horses who have won at three successive Cheltenham Festivals.

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Victorious in the 2015 Supreme Novices Hurdle, and then the Arkle Trophy 12 months ago, Douvan – owned by Rich and Susannah Ricci – is unbeaten in 13 starts over obstacles since moving from France to the Mullins stable in November 2014.

However, the trainer refuses to take anything for granted after a chastening opening day at the Festival. A day that he’s dominated in recent years, his rare opening day blank will have been chastening.

“He’s in good form and everything has gone well. At this stage we’re just hoping everything goes well on the day,” said Mullins.

“When you are going to Cheltenham with a favourite like Douvan, it is relief rather than joy when they win. When you have a 25-1 winner that isn’t expected, that is joy. There is a fair bit of expectation with Douvan, so you just want to keep him right and get there. I only think every morning about keeping him sound.”

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Perhaps Douvan’s biggest asset is his slick jumping. With his rapid style leaving little margin for error, Mullins admits his heart has skipped a beat more than once during his nine-race chase career to date.

“I don’t really watch the replays, but there’s a few times he’s given me frights and everyone else is saying he jumped fantastic,” he added. “Ruby says ‘I couldn’t see what you saw on the ground when I’m on his back’. He’s so in control and he’s got the scope to get in close or stand back. He seems to have everything. It’s rare for a horse of his size to stay so sound. Usually when they’re that big, things go wrong.”

Carter McKay and Next Destination bid to give Mullins a ninth success in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

It is 21 years since the County Carlow maestro trained and rode Wither or Which to victory in the Grade One contest and he has since struck gold with the likes of Florida Pearl, Cousin Vinny, Champagne Fever and Briar Hill.

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The trainer’s son Patrick Mullins was victorious aboard Cousin Vinny and Champagne Fever and this year gets the leg up on likely favourite Carter McKay, who has been hugely impressive at Leopardstown and Naas in Sheikh Fahad’s Pearl Bloodstock colours.

Next Destination, the mount of Ruby Walsh, won readily on his sole Bumper start to date. Yet, while Mullins and his owners regularly spend six sums on their horses, Irish Roe cost Northallerton pig farmer Peter Atkinson, and his wife Lucinda, just £2,000.

The winner of her first two starts, the mare dead-heated at Cheltenham last November when her jockey, Henry Brooke, was recovering from life-threatening injuries suffered in a fall at Hexham. Victory would be the ultimate Festival fairytale.

Meanwhile Nicky Henderson’s Might Bite is favoured in the three-mile RSA Chase for novices.

Clear in the Kauto Star Novices Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day when suffering a sickening fall at the final fence, a confidence-boosting win at Doncaster last month confirmed the horse’s wellbeing.

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