3.30 Stan James Champion Hurdle Challenge Trophy 2m67yds

AS was the case in his last couple of runs, Petit Mouchoir – with Bryan Cooper back aboard – set out in front and he had the gallop pretty much to himself, tracked by The New One with the novice Moon Racer close up and Yanworth fourth.

Petit Mouchoir jumped cleanly until he rather fiddled his way through the second-last but Yanworth’s problems began as far as four-out and his jumping made him lose his place. Meanwhile,

Buveur D’air breezed alongside in the second McManus silks and Noel Fehily was barely moving as they came into the straight.

Remarkably, Wicklow Brave crept into it now, though his run was flattering. Petit Mouchoir could not match the winner before the last and My Tent Or Yours was ready to fill that position familiar to him: second in a Champion Hurdle. For the third time he gave vain chase to the winner, with the younger legs of Buveur D’air carrying through.

Petit Mouchoir seemed to run a really similar race relative to Footpad as he did in the Irish Champion Hurdle, with the young grey of Willie Mullins’ staying on nicely into fourth and suggesting he has a fine future. The New One, which also does not have age on his side, ran a more than respectable race in fifth, but Moon Racer was pulled up after jumping right.

Yanworth plugged on up the hill but his was a laboured bid, his jumping showing up and his lack of pace suggesting that those who insisted that he wanted farther all along were right. In winning by four-and-a-half lengths, Buveur D’air showcased his progressive nature and this was a remarkable result for Nicky Henderson, who trained the first two.

Sceau Royal, which looked up against it, ran accordingly but still shaped nicely in sixth at a big price. Wicklow Brave ended up a modest if not-disgraced eighth. Brain Power, which blundered at the second and the final flight, had run freely in between and gave himself little chance.