The Gentleman Magazine Issue 3 | June/July | Page 98
Douvan Crowned King of 2016/17 Anglo-Irish Classification
Douvan has today been announced as the highest rated The novice hurdlers were topped by the enigmatic Labaik, who
earned a rating of 161, seeing him on a par with the likes of
Douvan, Faugheen, Jezki and Our Conor as the highest rated
horses at 2 miles since the classifications began.
The Willie Mullins-trained Chaser achieved a rating of 174
for his eight-length defeat of subsequent Timico Cheltenham
Gold Cup winner Sizing John (169) in the Grade 1 Paddy
Power Cashcard Chase at Leopardstown. Phil Smith, Head of Handicapping for the BHA, said: “The most
significant aspect last season was the aggressive and successful
way the top novice chasers were campaigned. The number of
novice chasers included at 140+ was up 18 compared with the
previous season.
Jumps horse of the 2016/17 season at the Anglo-Irish Jump
Classifications press conference, hosted by the British
Horseracing Authority (BHA) and the Irish Turf Club.
His rating of 174 puts him level with the likes of Big Zeb and
Azertyuiop in the pantheon of top 2-mile chasers since the
commencement of the Classifications, but marginally behind
last year’s champion 2-mile Chaser Sprinter Sacre (175).
Thistlecrack and Altior, the two novice chasers who have lit up
the 2016/17 season with their exploits, topped their respective
categories with ratings of 170. Only Coneygree, rated 172 after
his Gold Cup winning season in 2014/15, earned a higher
rating at 3-miles-plus in the history of the Classifications.
Many Clouds (171) and Fox Norton (169) complete the list of
older champions over fences. The former earned that rating
for his defeat of Thistlecrack in the BetBright Trial Cotswold
Chase at Cheltenham in January, making him the highest rated
3-mile-plus Chaser for the 2016/17 season despite the fact that
he sadly lost his life shortly after this race.
Fox Norton earned his rating with a six-length victory in the
JLT Melling Chase at Aintree last month, part of a magical
four-timer of Grade 1 contests at the Randox Health Grand
National Festival for jockey Robbie Power.
Over hurdles it is a one-horse story, with the Nicky Henderson
trained Buveur D’Air ending the season as the champion at 2
miles and 2 ½-mile-plus. He was rated 167 for his four-and-
a-half-length defeat of My Tent Or Yours in the Stan James
Champion Hurdle, whilst his five length defeat of the same
horse over four furlongs further at Aintree earned him a rating
of 169.
98 | The Gentleman Magazine
“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. That was Sizing John’s first run of the season and his
only defeat and although he clearly improved for stepping up
in trip, he is no slouch at 2 miles.”
David Dickinson, BHA Handicapper, said: “The decision to
bring Buveur d’Air back from a novice chasing career proved
a masterstroke, as his slick jumping of the smaller obstacles
saw him run to a perfectly respectable Stan James Champion
Hurdle winning figure of 167, a figure he improved on by a
couple of pounds over two and a half miles at Aintree, with a
more authoritative success over his luckless stable companion
My Tent Or Yours.”
Martin Greenwood, BHA Handicapper, said: “Buveur d’Air
on 169 also tops the staying division of the hurdlers, with his
smooth Aintree success rated the best hurdle performance
of the season over any distance. He is rated superior to
Unowhatimeanharry and Nichols Canyon who both won at
the big Festivals.
“For the novices, Presenting Percy and West Approach share
the honours in the staying novice arena and both gained their
157, 4lbs higher than both Champagne Classic and Penhill
who won at the Cheltenham Festival.”