Douvan proved a class above his rivals to follow up his impressive Arkle success with an equally stylish victory in the Doom Bar Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree.
Although his jumping was far from perfect over the first three fences, the 2-13 favourite quickly warmed to the task before disposing of his rivals with the minimum of fuss.
Tracking Alisier D’Irlande throughout the two-mile prize the six-year-old breezed past with a slick jump over the fourth-last. As the long-time leader wilted it was left to The Game Changer to go off in pursuit of the Willie Mullins-trained machine, but it was a task that proved impossible.
Finding another gear on the run down to the final fence the Rich Ricci-owned winner saved his best until last, producing a superb leap before cantering away in effortless fashion to score by 14 lengths, completing a quickfire double for Mullins and jockey Paul Townend after striking with Yorkhill earlier on the card.
Townend said: “That was some experience. I was doing a half-speed everywhere. “He had a little look between the last two (fences), I gave him a squeeze and I’ve never felt anything pick up like it. I had so much horse underneath me.
“It’s unbelievable the firepower Willie Mullins has and I’m very fortunate to be in the position I am, to step in when Ruby (Walsh) had the misfortune like he had yesterday.
“He has so much natural ability and for a big horse he’s very clever.
“He’s a gent to do anything with at home — he’s a big, friendly giant.
“He covers so much ground and does everything so easy.
“He’s a proper horse.”
Liverpool Stayers’ Hurdle
Thistlecrack ground his rivals into submission to further bolster his position at the head of the staying division with a facile success in the Liverpool Stayers’ Hurdle.
In a change from his usual patient tactics, the 2-7 favourite was sent straight into the lead as soon as the tapes went up by Tom Scudamore in order to ensure the race was not run at a crawl.
Bowling along at the head of affairs, the Colin Tizzard-trained eight-year-old never looked under any threat during the Grade One prize, with Scudamore sitting motionless throughout.
As Different Gravey began to struggle on the run down to the final three hurdles, both Shaneshill and Prince Of Scars moved through from the rear of the field to lay down an effort.
Despite trying their best it was simply not good enough, with Scudamore even able to steal a glance back at his toiling rivals over the penultimate flight.
Skipping over the last as easily as the first, Thistlecrack cleared right away to score by seven lengths from Shaneshill and add to his victory in last month’s World Hurdle.
Scudamore said: “What a wonderful racehorse.
“I said to Colin beforehand I didn’t want it to be a falsely-run race and when they were all walking round at the start I decided we’d be masters of our own destiny.
“My job was just to sit and steer and give him a kick in the belly at the right time.
“I’ve been lucky to ride against some wonderful racehorses, but he’s definitely the best I’ve ever ridden and, to be honest, on these sort of performances he’s as good as anything I’ve ever seen.
“It’s just effortless. There’s a long run from the last hurdle down the back to turning in, I could hear them all rowing away in behind and I’m just sitting on my lad with loads left.”
EZ Trader Mersey Novices’ Hurdle
Yorkhill maintained his unbeaten record over hurdles to complete a Grade One hat-trick with a workmanlike success in the EZ Trader Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
Having posted one of the standout performances at last month’s Cheltenham Festival when winning the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle, the six-year-old produced a display of completely different contrast before mastering his rivals in the two-and-a-half-mile contest.
After failing to settle early on the 30-100 favourite pulled his way to the front down the far side into a lead he was to hold on for the rest of the race.
Although meeting the second-last wrong the Willie Mullins-trained gelding still held the initiative out in front with his closest challengers Bello Conti, Le Prezien and Flying Angel all under pressure to close the gap.
The race looked in safe-keeping after he put in a bold jump at the last, but after idling up the run-in Le Prezien got another chance to close.
Showing his class, though, Yorkhill pulled out more when it mattered to cross the line two and a quarter lengths clear of Paul Nicholls’ runner.
Paddy Power left the winner unchanged at 7-2 for next year’s Arkle.
Winning rider Paul Townend said: “I can’t say everything went to plan — nothing probably went to plan.
“He went to the start and he was on fire. I tried to drop him out to get him to settle and I couldn’t get him to drop the bridle.
“He had a bit more of a look in front, but he’s some horse to win after doing that.
“I didn’t think there was a whole lot I was able to do. It just shows the engine that’s there.
“When he felt them coming at him on the run-in he pulled out plenty again.
“He’s a fair horse.”
