Douvan primed to deliver again in Champion Novice

Punchestown is one of the most important weeks of the year and just like Cheltenham, it starts for me with Douvan (4.20). He seems in really good form and is coming off a brilliant performance in winning the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

I suppose he was a fraction keen in Cheltenham but I think that was as much due to the atmosphere and being away from home as anything. He has won around Punchestown before and I think he’ll be a little easier to ride than he was at Cheltenham.

There would be no concern that the little bit of keenness might have left any mark on him. He wasn’t that hard on himself and anyway, it was six weeks ago. It was a two-mile novice hurdle. He didn’t go three-and-a-quarter miles like Djakadam did. He’s had a good break since that too and I’m very happy with him.