Douvan returns in style with victory at Clonmel

CREPELLO

 

Douvan, from the Willie Mullins stable, returned from an absence of more than a year and a half to run out an impressive winner of the two mile and four Grade2 Clonmel Oil Chase at the Powerstown Park venue on Thursday.

Rated the best chaser in training before a pelvic injury curtailed his activities in 2017, the nine-year-old took longer than expected to recover and indeed for a time connections feared that his career was over. However, Mullins in renowned for giving his horses plenty of time to recover and the patience paid off as the eight time Grade1 winner showed much of his old sparkle.

Word on the grapevine about him was positive and as a consequence he went to post an odds on favourite. Rider Paul Townend settled Douvan in the slipstream of the leaders but when he hit the first fence in the straight with a circuit to race in like it spurred him into action and Townend wisely allowed him to stride on with five to jump. From there it was all one-way traffic as the combination drew steadily clear to win unchallenged by an extended nine lengths from Jett with the well supported Monalee a further seven and a half lengths back in third place.

Make no mistake but this was a performance to savour by the French bred and the reception he was accorded when returning to the winners enclosure by the sizeable attendance showed the regard in which he is held.

In his post race remarks, Willie Mullins revealed that it was like old times the way he travelled and jumped apart from the one error. While there is nothing set in stone he feels that there is no need to go up in trip with his charge as he looks to have retained much of his speed he will try to find a suitable race for his over the Christmas period.

 

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