Fox Norton 'even better' for Douvan Tingle Creek clash warns Tizzard

The gauntlet has been thrown down to Douvan with connections of Fox Norton warning they expect an even better performance from last month's eyecatching Shloer Chase winner.

The pair go head-to-head in Saturday's Betfair-sponsored Tingle Creek at Sandown, which will be Douvan's first start since his stunning defeat in March's Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Fox Norton finished a close second there before claiming the Melling Chase and Punchestown Champion Chase and he made a perfect start to this campaign when beating Cloudy Dream by eight lengths at Cheltenham's November meeting.

The seven-year-old was the general 5-2 second favourite on Tuesday behind the odds-on Douvan and trainer Colin Tizzard's son and assistant Joe reported: "He's had a lovely prep for the race since Cheltenham and he's all set to run.

"It was a smashing performance at Cheltenham, you couldn't help but be delighted with him and how he jumped and travelled. I'd say he's even better now. All of ours improve for their first run, so hopefully he can show more again."

Fox Norton was beaten a head by Special Tiara in the Champion Chase when Douvan, suffering from what was later revealed to be a stress fracture of the pelvis, was seventh, his only defeat in 14 starts since joining Willie Mullins.

Tizzard added: "It'll be interesting to see how our lad gets on if Douvan comes across. We're expecting to run against him and we're ready for it. Obviously we were ahead of him in the Champion Chase but he didn't run his race that day."

Kempton option remains open

Tizzard also revealed there might yet be the prospect of Fox Norton stepping up in trip on Boxing Day for the King George VI Chase at Kempton.

He said: "We entered him in the King George and have left him in for a reason. Obviously Alan Potts wanted Sizing John to go for the £1 million [Triple Crown] bonus and didn't want one of his standing in the way but Sizing John didn't run at Haydock [in the first leg], so things are different now."

Sizing John is set to reappear this weekend in the John Durkan Chase and, with stablemate Our Duke also on the sidelines, could as easily run in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase (formerly the Lexus) as at Kempton.

However, Tizzard added: "Don't get me wrong, it's all about Saturday and that's the number one aim. But we'll see what happens there and we're not ruling out the King George at this stage, put it that way."

Fox Norton was available at a general 8-1 for the King George on Tuesday. Sizing John was generally 6-1 with Might Bit the 6-4 favourite.

The going at Sandown on Tuesday was good to soft, good in places with the forecast for the dry spell to continue until Thursday morning, when between 5mm and 10mm of rain are forecast.

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