Douvan (Walk In The Park) winning the Tied Cottage

Douvan is champion - it’s official

Walk In The Park’s brilliant son Douvan (7g Walk In The Park-Star Face, by Saint Des Saints) has been named as the highest rated Jumps horse of the 2016/17 season in both Britain and Ireland. At the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications press conference, hosted by the British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Turf Club, on Wednesday it was revealed that the Willie Mullins-trained Chaser achieved a rating of 174 for his eight-length defeat of subsequent Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John in the Grade 1 Paddy Power Cashcard Chase at Leopardstown. Phil Smith, Head of Handicapping for the BHA, said: “Douvan, the previous season’s top novice, improved his rating from 169 to 174 thanks to a scintillating performance at Leopardstown at Christmas where he beat the future Gold Cup winner.”

Douvan has won 14 of his 16 starts, seven of them in Grade 1 company.