Henderson: Faugheen was frighteningly impressive
Trainer well aware of task facing Buveur D’air American also catches the eye in Newbury spin
Buveur D’air might have his work cut out to defend his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham in March if Faugheen, who deposed him as favourite after winning on Sunday, makes it in one piece but yesterday Nicky Henderson’s sixyear-old took another step towards his reappearance in next week’s Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
Faintly embarrassed that he was using Newbury, which hosts the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase (nee Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup), as a workout for a horse destined for Newcastle the same day, Henderson, nevertheless, liked what he saw from Buveur D’air.
He gave stablemates Charli Parcs and Divin Bere a five-length start at the top of the straight, but cruised through the strong piece of work to finish with his head in front.
“I’m pleased with that,” said Henderson. “He carries plenty of weight and he’s done a hell of a lot of work already. I watched Faugheen with J P [Mcmanus, Buveur D’air’s owner] at Cheltenham and we just looked at each other and went ‘Err’. We’ll need to sharpen our pencil, but it’s getting sharper.
“I’d like to think they’ll meet in March – they don’t want to be slamming each other while only practicing. Faugheen was frighteningly impressive, but we’ve all got to get there.”
Henderson hopes to run Whisper and Vyta du Roc, neither of whom galloped yesterday, in the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase. He pointed out that Whisper, in his first season out of novices and having narrowly missed winning the RSA, has a very similar profile to two of his previous winners of the race, Trabolgan and Bobs Worth.
On a morning when several Ladbrokes Trophy hopefuls had a spin it was Harry Fry’s lightly-raced American, 7-1 second favourite with the sponsors, which caught the eye. He won all three starts over fences last year as a novice.
“His runs have all been governed by the ground and the form of his Uttoxeter win has worked out well,” said Fry. “He’d have run in the RSA if it hadn’t dried up. I put him in the Welsh National this morning but only as back-up because it’s all about Saturday week. He struggles with his knees so we have to mind him.”
Fry expressed the hope that the 2015 Gold Cup winner Coneygree, who has been allotted top weight of 11st 12lbs, would stay in the race to stop the weights rising 8lbs.
That is the plan. Mark Bradstock’s 10-year-old, who was pulled up at Wetherby recently after sustaining an over-reach, pinged three fences down the back before working round to the winning post with his brother Flintham.
“He’s carried 11st 10lb or more on a number of occasions,” said Sara Bradstock. “He’s a big horse, I ride him every day and I can’t pretend I’m eight stones. We won’t know if horses getting two stones from him can go his gallop until we try it.”