Buveur D'Air To Have Champion Hurdle Prep At Sandown

Nicky Henderson's Dual Champion Hurdle Superstar is this season looking to make it three on the bounce and will be preparing for the Grade 1 at the Cheltenham Festival with a run at Sandown Park in the Listed Contenders Hurdle.

The superb eight year old for owner J P McManus last time out was defeated for the first time in three years when going off at 1/4 favourite and being pipped on the line in the Unibet Christmas Hurdle at Kempton by stablemate Verdana Blue.

This was one of the biggest, if not the upset of the season as Buveur D'Air was beaten by a short head to end his 11 straight record over hurdles.

However, he still put in a good performance and keeps hold of the market majority in his bid for his third Champion Hurdle and is currently a 13/8 favourite to take the spoils on the first day of the festival.

(Credit Racing Post) Henderson said: "Barry [Geraghty] rode him in work on Saturday and thought he was great. There’s been no problem since Kempton, he was just beaten by my flying machine!

"He takes plenty of work which is why I want to run him this weekend.

"The timing is good and I just hope the weather holds out. I don’t know who is going to join in but I haven’t put anything else in the race."

The Contenders Hurdle has only seven entries at this stage and has been reopened. The potential runners will be revealed on Tuesday.