Six contenders who could prove Champion class following Douvan's injury

Following the news from Willie Mullins that Douvan is out for the season and the uncertainty surrounding Nicky Henderson's champion two-miler Altior, Tom Collins looks at six two-milers who could take advantage

Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci are understandably disappointed that Douvan misses the season and it must be questioned whether he'll ever make the track again, but they have a suitably talented replacement in Min.

Winner of five of his six races since moving to Mullins' County Carlow yard – only beaten by Altior in the 2016 Supreme Novices' – he looks a gelding of the highest class and one that will be feared all season long in the two-mile division.

Having bolted up by 36 lengths on his seasonal reappearance in a three-runner chase last month, it's now likely to be all systems go for the Champion Chase, for which he can be backed at a skinny 3-1.

Politologue
Altior's absence from the Tingle Creek left the door open for an up-and-coming chaser to take the prize and Politologue proved the beneficiary.

Politologue: winner of the Tingle CreekCredit: Mark Cranham

The dashing grey became Paul Nicholls' much-needed Grade 1 horse this season with his slick-jumping and gritty performance at Sandown earlier this month, and looks one to follow over the minimum trip with his trainer believing he'll only get better with age.

Fox Norton
One of a number of stable stars for Colin Tizzard last season with victories in the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree and BoyleSports Champion Chase at Punchestown, as well as finishing second to Special Tiara in the Champion Chase when Douvan flopped having picked up an injury.

Returned this year with an easy success in the Shloer Chase despite jumping out to his left, and his jumping was again a factor when second to Politologue at Sandown.

Fox Norton: Colin Tizzard may put plans of stepping up in trip on holdCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Tizzard indicated they may go up in trip with Fox Norton, but with Douvan out and Altior having his problems, he may change his mind and keep his seven-year-old over the minimum.

Extremely talented six-year-old who has been handled with care by Willie Mullins with only six starts to his name since moving from Emmanuel Clayeux's French base, winning on five occasions.

The enthusiastic front-runner has a knack of making horrific mistakes in his races and jockey Jody McGarvey had to make some remarkable recoveries en route to claiming novice chases last year.

Jody McGarvey had to perform wonders staying on Great Field last season, but the horse is clearly very good when he gets it rightCredit: Alain Barr

However, if Mullins has ironed out those problems, he has a massive engine and is definitely the dark horse of the division. He met with a setback earlier in the season but his trainer believes he'll be back in the Spring. Currently available at 11-1 for the Champion Chase.

Yorkhill
Willie Mullins has so many bullets to fire in this division that Yorkhill may be rerouted to run in either the Ryanair (over 2m5f) or Gold Cup (3m2½f), but the Andrea and Graham Wylie-owned seven-year-old definitely has enough speed for two miles and could hold his own in the division if connections change their mind.

The dual festival victor has only been beaten on two occasions, which includes when he was last seen on the track when second to Road To Respect in a Fairyhouse Grade 1 last April.

He jumped horrifically and threw the race away on that occasion but he travels strongly, can go from the front and has a turn of foot to die for.

Sceau Royal
Rapidly improving novice chaser who despite being sent off the outsider of five for the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase on Tingle Creek day, fairly bolted up under Daryl Jacob and looked a five-year-old to keep an eye on.

Sceau Royal: impressive winner of the Henry VIII at SandownCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

He would have to make a big jump to go and win at the festival over two miles, but the sky is the limit with Alan King's star and the RPR of 166 he recorded when winning at Sandown is better than anything Min has achieved.

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