Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DREAM
Everything is in place for brilliant Buveur to secure back-to-back Champions
ODDS-ON favourite Buveur D’air should join the elite band of dual champions by retaining the Unibet Champion Hurdle crown.
The JP Mcmanus-owned, Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old has been beaten only once over obstacles, when third to Altior in the Supreme Novices here, and, a workmanlike winner of hurdling’s greatest prize 12 months ago, has five Grade 1 wins to his name.
He has come through the current season effortlessly and, with question marks over many of his rivals, he is expected to give Barry Geraghty, who was replaced by Noel Fehily, due to injury last year, a third Champion success.
Last year, Buveur D’air outpointed veteran stable-companion My Tent Or Yours, Petit Mouchoir and Footpad.
He went on to defeat the Tent again in the Betway Aintree Hurdle three weeks later and, back after his summer break, he’s three from three this season, having won the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle (beating Irving) and Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle (slammed The New One) very easily before coasting to victory in the listed Contenders Hurdle at Sandown.
There’s every reason to believe that Buveur D’air, successful twice over fences last season before reverting to his more natural role as a hurdler, is better now than he was 12 months ago.
And, if that is the case, he will take some beating today and only a back-to-his-best Faugheen would be a threat.
The 2015 champion, so impressive on his comeback in the Morgiana at Punchestown in November, when he hammered 2014 champion Jezki by 16 lengths, flopped badly in the Ryanair at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.
He produced an improved effort when runner-up to Supasundae in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle but, even then, didn’t display his customary exuberance or appetite for jumping through the race.
Today, Willie Mullins resorts to first-time cheekpieces for the ten-year-old, in the hope that they will re-ignite his enthusiasm for the task, on a track where he is unbeaten.
Only two ten-year-olds have won the Champion Hurdle and it would be a leap of faith, on recent evidence, to expect Faugheen to become a third.
Willie Mullins also runs Melon, runner-up to Labaik in the Supreme Novices last year, but held by Faugheen on Leopardstown form, the versatile Wicklow Brave and enigmatic Yorkhill.
Wicklow Brave, a County Hurdle and Irish St Leger winner, will be having his first start over hurdles since beating My Tent Or Yours in a Grade 1 at the Punchestown Festival in April and his first run since contesting the Melbourne Cup last November. He’s an interesting each-way prospect.
A dual Festival winner, Yorkhill, is going back to hurdling after a disappointing time over fences.
He undoubtedly possesses a big engine. But he isn’t an easy ride and David Mullins will have his hands full.
Gordon Elliott runs Mick Jazz, winner of the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown, but held by Faugheen on Irish Champion form.
And the Irish challenge will be completed by the Henry de Bromhead trained Identity Thief, winner of the Fighting Fifth back in 2015 and, last time, runner-up to Forge Meadow in the Red Mills.
Evergreen My Tent Or Yours, runner-up in the last three renewals of the big race, is back for more, at the age of 11 but, realistically, he should be playing for place money again, in the shadow of his stable-companion Buveur D’air.