Garde may avoid Douvan clash Philip Hobbs will consider letting Garde La Victoire step up in distance at Cheltenham next month to avoid a clash with the brilliant Douvan in the Arkle Trophy. An impressive winner of the Supreme Novices' Hurdle last March, the Willie Mullins-trained Douvan is unbeaten in three starts over fences and is odds-on across the board to strike once more on the opening day of the Festival. Garde La Victoire is also three from three since switching to the larger obstacles and has winning form over the Arkle course and distance, but Hobbs is wary of biting off more than he can chew and admits the longer JLT Novices' Chase two days later could be a more attractive target. "What worries me is Douvan and all those horses in Ireland winning easily. That's why we have the entries in the two races and it will depend on ground and opposition nearer the time," the trainer told At The Races. "I think you assess everything. You shouldn't run away from one horse as a horse can always disappoint or he can fall and second prize in the Arkle is a fortune. "(But) if there's Douvan and a couple of others to worry about, maybe the JLT might be better."
