After Vautour’s dramatic fall on Friday, Ruby Walsh won’t be taking anything for granted when Douvan lines up on Aintree’s Grand National support card on Saturday, but the brilliant novice is still expected to start an even hotter favourite than his stable companion.
The imperious winner of Cheltenham’s Arkle is forecast to be as short as 1-6 for the Doom Bar Maghull Novices Chase.
Douvan faces a handful of opponents including the other raiders, Alisier d’Irlande and The Game Changer, and represents another ‘banker’ for Willie Mullins’s hopes of beating Paul Nicholls to the British trainers’ title.
Another big hope for the Walsh-Mullins team will be Yorkhill in the EZ Mersey Novice Hurdle. The Neptune winner’s stable companion Bello Conti will also take his chance in the two-and-a-half mile event.
Significantly, Walsh travels to Tramore on Sunday for a single ride, Tennis Cap, in a Listed Chase.
On figures, the Mullins runner has a steep task, but ground conditions are unlikely to suit Shanahan’s Turn, and Tennis Cap has operated well on heavy in the past.
Course form is always a major plus at Tramore and Lake Field brings those credentials to the handicap hurdle.
