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Always a race that generates plenty of debate.
CYRUS DARIUS, winner of the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last term, makes his debut over fences at Perth (3:20) this afternoon.
The Malcolm Jefferson trained 6Y0 is a best priced 16/1 for Cheltenham in March.
This guy is a machine. All he does is work out and pick winners. Talk about fit. You should see him without his shirt off, serious side of beef.
Do we think Douvan will go this route?
Game over if he does.Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Agree it’s game over if Douvan turns up. I admit to doubting him for the Supreme last March but the hype certainly delivered and the regard Mullins and his team hold for him is huge. Dominated the novice hurdle division last year and can’t see him being troubled too much.
But as always with Mullins the question is where will he go. Despite the recent comments I’d be amazed if he stayed hurdling and either took on or took Faugheens place there, so surely it’s a case of Arkle or JLT?
I remember Willie saying Douvan likes a trip and maybe they want to campaign him like Vautour and go JLT with then the step up to Gold Cup the year later? but who would go Arkle if so? Alvissio Ville or Shanesill?
I think it’s likely Vautour would have went the Arkle route last year had it not been for one Un Des Sceaux. They wanted to keep them apart and Vautour was the obvious one to step up in trip.
They have no such headaches this year, with a ready made JLT candidate in Shaneshill waiting in the wings.
You have to laugh at some of the ante post prices floating around. The New One at 14/1 for this is one, he’s probably odds against to jump a fence this season, unless I’ve missed something, and even if he does he wouldn’t inspire confidence given his jumping issues over hurdles.
Taking 11/4 ante post doesn’t appeal to me at this stage and I’d be far happier taking 20/1 about Sizing John than backing Douvan. De Bromehead isn’t really the type of trainer who puts the gun to his horses’ heads in their novice hurdling season and he’s likely to improve for fences. Douvan on the other hand jumps hurdles with such fluency that there is less room for improvement in the jumping department when he switches to fences.
When they meet again Douvan will surely be a short price to trounce Sizing John for a fourth time but at this very early stage Sizing John looks the pick of the rest.
Tommy will you start a irish horses thread in DLP forum few things to ask about irish jumping season
Tommy will you start a irish horses thread in DLP forum few things to ask about irish jumping season
Will start one now Darren
You might remember Calipto travelling strongly in last year’s Triumph Hurdle as they came to the second last, only for his jockey’s stirrup leather to break. He finished 4th, and would almost certainly have been a good deal closer bar his mishap. He never won over hurdles, though ran well in most, weak finishes becoming typical for him.
Over the summer, he got the usual Nicholls treatment in the operating theatre when they tried to improve his wind. On his first Chasing outing at Fontwell last week, it looked like that op had done him good. He won comfortably after a round of jumping that showed flashes of real promise, despite him being slightly untidy at a couple.
The almighty Mullins, and especially his Douvan, will be hard to beat in the Arkle come March, but Calipto might well deliver over fences what he failed to when hurdling. He has the physical scope for fencing, and if the wind operation holds good, he could be a single figure price when the flag rises. Even as it is, I think he’s twice the price he currently should be and is well worth a bet at the 33/1 offered by Skybet.
Taking 11/4 ante post doesn’t appeal to me at this stage and I’d be far happier taking 20/1 about Sizing John than backing Douvan. De Bromehead isn’t really the type of trainer who puts the gun to his horses’ heads in their novice hurdling season and he’s likely to improve for fences. Douvan on the other hand jumps hurdles with such fluency that there is less room for improvement in the jumping department when he switches to fences.
When they meet again Douvan will surely be a short price to trounce Sizing John for a fourth time but at this very early stage Sizing John looks the pick of the rest.
Have to be happy with Sizing John’s performance today, won comfortably and jumped very well. They have mooted a step up in trip for him and at this stage that would be the main concern as a backer for the Arkle.
I reckon Douvan won’t place. Based on nothing other than breeding but i’m going to take him on at the prices. Several Mullins bankers have lost in the last few years and this might be one of those next March.
L’Ami Serge is my pick.
Not a race that normally interests me, but I’m with THM, and taken the 20’s each way on Sizing John. That seems pretty fair to me, even at this early stage.
Game over
Correct. those “value” chasers who said the 5/2 odds were too short look a bit silly now. Make no mistake, this horse is a machine and might just be the best of the mullins army.
I know it did not beat much today as tthebob ran no sort of race but you had to be impressesd how he just coasted throughout the race and won as he liked.
I just hope Vaniteux does the same tomorrow at Kempton, then we could be in for a fantastic Arkle come MarchNot sure it was a case of him not beating much, more likely he just made them look second division. His slower paces were much too quick for Ttebbob.
Vaniteux has plenty to prove and I would sooner take him on tomorrow.
I know it did not beat much today as tthebob ran no sort of race but you had to be impressesd how he just coasted throughout the race and won as he liked.
I just hope Vaniteux does the same tomorrow at Kempton, then we could be in for a fantastic Arkle come MarchCan’t agree he didn’t beat much; field was small, but all promising chasers. Has Douvan ever been extended?
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