Douvan's scintillating display cements top spot

No prizes for guessing the standout performance of the weekend with Douvan (176+) cementing his position at the head of both the ratings and the betting for the Queen Mother Champion Chase with an imperious display in Cork's Grade 2 Kerry Group Hilly Way Chase.

Admittedly, he didn't need to improve on the best of last season's novice form – his Aintree annihilation of The Game Changer and Fox Norton – to win in terrific style, but he at least confirmed he hasn't gone backwards over the summer and it seems only a matter of time until he posts a Racing Post Rating in excess of 180.

Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase winner Djakadam (166+) didn't quite cut the same dash when seeing off Outlander (164) and Sub Lieutenant (164) – the first two home from a Grade 2 at Down Royal last month – but it was still a decent return to action from the dual Gold Cup runner-up and, with a best RPR of 177, he again looks his yard's main hope for the festival showpiece. He seems to have been around for ages but he will be only an eight-year-old come March.