Douvan delivers for adoring public as hometown hero shines

In one sense, it was the same old story all over again as Douvan cruised to victory and kept his unbeaten record over fences intact at Cork in the Hilly Way Chase.

In another, however, there was a far deeper consequence of a superstar chaser rocking up to a track that has been denied a glimpse of top-notch jumpers ever since the heady days where Istabraq, Beef Or Salmon and Imperial Call stretched their limbs here.

That was a lifetime ago for many of the Cork regulars now, including the currently sidelined Jonathan Burke, who was deep in study ahead of his commentary gig for the concluding handicap hurdle.