Updates on Sizing John, Faugheen and Douvan bodes well for the horse racing year ahead

It's possible that we'll see all three of them in action again this season.

The Leopardstown Christmas racing festival was a tough nut to crack. Many of our so-called 'bankers' going into the meeting let us down. Last year's Punchestown, Irish and Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John ran a stinker in the Christmas Chase on Thursday. Jessica Harrington's horse went off the odds on favourite, but trailed home in 7th in a field of 12. The 8-year-old jumped uncharacteristically poorly and never travelled in a lethargic display under Robbie Power, which prompted worries that there was something seriously wrong. The horse was deemed "clinically abnormal" after being examined by the on-course vets - whatever that means, nobody was really sure. Harrington, however has revealed that her stable star was fresh and well in training this week, after his blood tests showed up no problems.

"The Cheltenham Gold Cup still remains very much the aim," she told the Racing Post.

The horse came through a tough race in Punchestown only 18 days before that Leopardstown disappointment, and may have been feeling the effects of that race, especially given the heavy ground he encountered on that occasion. Djakadam was second to Sizing John that day, and Willie Mullins' horse was even worse last Thursday, with Paul Townend pulling him up early. https://twitter.com/JasonDeauville/status/948131830661877760 That John Durcan chase may have taken more out of those horses than expected. This, on top of Harrington's stable being out of form last week gives plenty of hope for last year's Cheltenham hero for the next few months. At 6-1, we'll be placing our faith in him again. Every cloud has a silver lining.   Faugheen pulled up in the Christmas Hurdle, to compound matters for punters. This was surprising, given that the horse showed so well on his comeback run after a long injury lay off a month earlier in the Morgiana hurdle. That day, Faugheen was at his machine-like best, defeating Jezki by 16 lengths. The 'bounce factor' may have been affecting the horse. This is where they run well on their return after a lay-off, but they struggle in their third run (the Christmas hurdle for Faugheen) after a quick return to the track. Faugheen had been out for over a year and a half with injury, so the bounce may have got him. The horse's owner Rich Ricci was speaking on Talksport 2 recently when he revealed that no faults were found with the horse after examination, which surely bodes well for the racing season. They are unsure whether the horse will go straight to Cheltenham, or whether he'll run in the Irish Champion Hurdle in the Dublin Racing Festival.

"Barring anything popping up of a more serious nature this week, absolutely. I think we'll crack on," said Ricci. "Whether he goes to the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in the first week of February, or whether he'll go straight to Cheltenham, I don't know, but our intention at the moment is to crack on. "He was fine after the race. We've gotten him home. He's normal. Everything's fine, which is good news. He's not lame. There are no leg issues.

Bring on the big hurdle races, where defending champion Buveur D'air, who impressed over Christmas, is waiting. With both horses on top form, it would make for some showdown between the two best hurdlers in the business. https://twitter.com/Racing_UK/status/945664923920515072 Ricci also holds out hope that Douvan can make a return this season. Even though he was ruled out for the campaign by Willie Mullins earlier last month.

"Douvan is a real head-scratcher. We're still not entirely convinced we know what's wrong with him because he's absolutely fine," he said to Talksport. "As Willie said the other day, we are waiting for a final follow-up report from France to see what we need to do.

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"I'm hoping we could get a run into him this season, but we'll just have to see what the vets say and make a plan."

So amazing in 2016 and 2017 festivals, in the Supreme Novice's hurdle and Arkle, respectively, it would be great to have him back. It's set to be another brilliant season of racing. The best part; It's only getting started.