Cheltenham Festival 2017 – Matt Chapman reflects on day two of the Cheltenham Festival where hot favourite Douvan was beaten
I DID phone home, but unfortunately it was nothing like in the ET movie.
I merely phoned to say rumours that Douvan was an alien were wrong. He's just a horse after all, and horses don't always do what you want.
Douvan wasn't the only one, poor boy. Neon Wolf didn't do what I wanted either.
What's strange is every day I get orders from ITV and do exactly (most of the time at least) what I'm told.
Why can't horses just be like me? I'd heard rumours that Douvan had issues before the Champion Chase.
I can't tell you whether they were fact or fiction, because I don't know, but what I can say is the horse whose jumping is usually immaculate was pants from start to finish.
I've rarely seen a worse display of jumping.
-We all know he is a hype horse, and I've been part of the hyping, but we also all know he's better than he was yesterday.
He was brilliant in the Supreme and Arkle, and Willie Mullins says he's the best horse he has trained.
But the race was still a shock to the system. Douvan quickly added his name to the list of fragile equine stars to have left us wondering what the hell is going on this season.
Of course Special Tiara got some praise, but he's a 159-rated ten-year-old, who beat a horse in Fox Norton who had looked pants against Altior last time at Newbury.
Whatever anyone tells you it was a shocking Champion Chase.
That said, fair play to Noel Fehily, who gave the winner a terrific ride and followed up his win in the Champion Hurdle 24 hours earlier.
Fehily is on an absolute high, and if he lands today's Sun Bets Stayers' Hurdle it will be one of the great Cheltenham trebles. Many think he will, including me.
Not everything went Fehily's way however, with Neon Wolf touched off in yesterday's opening Neptune by the ultra tough Ben Pauling-trained Willoughby Court.
The latter was perfectly handled by David Bass, while the Wolf nodded at the last, and lost a crucial half a length when he needed to gain it.
It was heartbreaking for those of us shouting Neon Wolf's name from the rooftops all season. But he's still a real star.
In terms of pure excitement, the RSA Chase was one of the greatest races ever at Cheltenham.
It reminded me of Crisp and Red Rum, except this time when Might Bite wandered off a true line he wasn't tired but merely itching for company.
Luckily for Nico de Boinville, challenger Whisper and a loose horse were there to give him the incentive he needed. Heart attack time for some favourite backers.
Nicky Henderson trains both the first two, and is having a fabulous week as many expected.
The 2016 Supreme form (Altior, Min and Buveur d'Air) was tested again in the Coral Cup, but while the fourth that day, Tombstone, was punted hard and disappointed, the seventh home, Supasundae, came good for Robbie 'Puppy' Power and the charming Jessica Harrington.
You can't stop Gordon Elliott from winning and he picked up the cross country with now three-time Festival hero Cause Of Causes, who is a terrific stick for the big lad.
The Meath man then banged in the bumper with Fayonagh, who came from last to first to make it a double for Jamie Codd, one the best amateur riders in the business.
Elliott 5, Mullins 0.
Friday is the big day for champ Richard Johnson when he'll be on Native River in the Gold Cup. And he showed everyone he's not one to be ignored when landing the Fred Winter on Flying Tiger for Nick Williams.
In gorgeous sunshine it was another fabulous day at Cheltenham. Just not the right weather for cosy Dou-vets or furry Wolfs. Unowhatimeanharry?