It will take something special to threaten the King George winner Thistlecrack’s status as the star of the Christmas racing season but Douvan, who lines up for the Grade One feature event on the second day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival meeting this afternoon, is one horse with the potential to at least run him close.
It is a very long time since Douvan started a race at odds-against – nearly two years, in fact, since his defeat of Shaneshill in the Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham in March 2015 as the 2-1 favourite was the only time that Douvan has been odds-against in his 11 races, and wins, since joining Willie Mullins in the summer of 2014.
And it will be the same again this afternoon (1.20), even with Black Hercules, the winner of the JLT Novice Chase at the Festival last year, joining his stable companion in the lineup of the Paddy Power Cashcard Chase. Black Hercules will hopefully improve on his disappointing run when fifth and last in the John Durkan at Punchestown last time out but even at his best, he has nearly two stone to find with Douvan according to Timeform’s calculations.
Seven of Douvan’s victories for Mullins have come in Grade One events, including the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham back in March, and there is still every possibility that he will prove to be not simply one of the best horses of the last few seasons but a genuine all-time great. Hopefully, something will give him a proper test at some stage of his career – but it is unlikely to be today.
Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting is an absorbing event, with the potential to accelerate a horse to the top of the market for a Grade One at Cheltenham in March at almost any stage. The maiden hurdle for juveniles, which opens proceedings today, is a case in point, as the 17-strong field includes Sword Fighter, who won this summer’s Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot and then the Group Two Curragh Cup – and he may not even start as the second-favourite, never mind the market leader.
That status goes to Housesofparliament, who is already the joint-favourite for the Triumph Hurdle in March without jumping a hurdle in public, thanks to Flat form, which includes a third in this year’s St Leger. He is a stablemate of Sword Fighter at Joseph O’Brien’s rapidly expanding training operation and with Meri Devie, who was useful on the Flat in France, representing Mullins, this could prove to be one of the best juvenile hurdles of the season.
Mullins saddled six winners from 10 runners on Boxing Day and will also saddle Riven Light, the likely favourite in the card’s second Grade One, the Future Champions Novice Hurdle, and The Crafty Butcher, the narrow favourite for the big betting race of the day, the Paddy Power Chase.
The one to catch the eye here though is Ucello Conti (3.00) for Mullins’s principal rival in the Irish championship race, Gordon Elliott. He was beaten only seven lengths in the similarly competitive Thyestes Chase back in January off a 1lb lower mark, and also ran well, off a 4lb higher mark, to finish fourth in the Becher Chase at Aintree earlier this month.
There is, of course, a very busy day of racing in Britain, too, this afternoon and selections for all televised races, including the Welsh Grand National, are here.
