Buv’s bid up in D’air

BUVEUR D’AIR can be backed at 10-1 to get back his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham next March after a shock comeback defeat at Newcastle.

The dual Champion Hurdler, who took a dramatic third-flight fall at the Festival last spring, went off at 2-13 to gain a third successive victory in the Grade 1 Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

Jockey Barry Geraghty was content to let Henry Brooke and 16-1 chance Cornerstone Lad turn for home with an eight-length lead.

Buveur D’air delivered his challenge after the final flight but couldn’t get past Cornerstone Lad, who clung on by a short head to give Micky Hammond the biggest win of his training career.

The beaten favourite was found to have sustained a cut to a leg, and his trainer Nicky Henderson said: “He’s sore. We’ve just to hope that it’s sorted out and that there are no issues with it.”

Ladbrokes, who quoted Buveur D’air (above) at 4-1 favourite at the start of trading, pushed the eight-year-old out to 10-1. The Willie Mullins-trained Saldier is now the 4-1 market leader.

At Newbury, 20-year-old Ben Jones, who joined the professional jockeys’ ranks only three months ago, drove De Rasher Counter to victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy.

The 12-1 shot rounded off a plentiful 24 hours for handler Emma Lavelle, whose stable star Paisley Park had made a successful return at Newbury on Friday.

“This horse is so game,” said Jon es. “I thought I might have got there a bit early, but he kept galloping and jumping.”