Douvan and Ruby Walsh© Photo Healy Racing
Douvan s Grand Tour of the three big spring Festivals was completed in style at Punchestown today as the imperious gelding extended his unbeaten record to ten in the Grade 1 Ryanair Novice Chase.
Now a six-time Grade 1 winner, the son of Walk In The Park is unbeaten in ten starts for trainer Willie Mullins and following wins at Cheltenham and Aintree in recent weeks, today again proved far too strong for his rivals, making all, under Ruby Walsh, for another faultless 11 lengths win over The Game Changer
Mullins, recording his fifth winner of the week and his third at Grade 1 level, later stated “to do what he did coming back from the other festivals, very few horses can do that, and he did it in style.
“Even with the heavy schedule he's had this spring that was a good performance and if you didn't know he'd run, you'd say he was a fresh horse the way he galloped away from them.
“He jumped fantastically and Ruby let him pop a few and then asked him over the last two.
“The question is do we try and take on Sprinter Sacre next year; the Champion Chase looks the obvious one but he could be a Gold Cup horse.
“I don't think he'll have any problem staying the way he pops away and that's what you need in a Gold Cup horse. He could go down the Gold Cup route but Rich (Ricci, owner) has a few Gold Cup horses. He could do anything but I'd imagine the Champion Chase is the most likely.”
He added “it's grass for him now and he'll come back next season. He's a big immature horse still and has a huge big frame. He could strengthen again over the summer but we're just hoping he stays sound.
“What we saw in the finish today is what he does everyday at home with Gail (Carlisle) riding him. Against any sort of opposition he canters up and quickens away from them.”
By Tom Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson
