Mccain thrilled after Navajo Pass outshines returning Buveur D’air
All eyes were on Buveur D'air at Haydock on Saturday, as the dual Champion Hurdle hero returned to the fray after 14 months on the sidelines.
But Navajo Pass spoiled the comeback party for the Nicky Henderson-trained 10-yearold, who had not been seen since picking up a freak injury in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in November 2019.
Navajo Pass was sent off the 4-1 outsider of three in the Champion Hurdle Trial and was never headed, as he fully justified the decision of Donald Mccain and owner Tim Leslie to take their chance.
A thrilled Mccain said of his Sean Quinlan-ridden winner: "He's going to be a very smart horse.
"This is a season where you usually get lost a bit because it's his first season out of juvenile hurdles. We've been running in handicaps with huge weights and today he was taking on two horses that were twice his age!
"It's hard, but we knew he was fit, we knew he could jump and we knew he was in good nick after winning up at Musselburgh.
"We could have floated round for third, but I spoke to Tim (Leslie, owner) before and we said we'd take a punt and make it a test and see what happens.
"We were obviously counting on Buveur D'air needing the run in bad old Haydock ground. To get the old horse back from the injury he had is a big effort from Nicky and his
team. We just came here thinking there was nowhere else to go before the spring festivals and it's worked out."
Henderson was disappointed, but not dismayed.
The Seven Barrows trainer said: "Of course we're disappointed, but the winner set a really good gallop and I think they were going as fast as they could behind him, to be honest.
"It looked as though he (Buveur D'air) was going to get
there comfortably, but when he got to the last he just had a big blow.
"That ground is not for him, but he's done well and his jumping was as good as ever - he jumped every hurdle like he used to.
"I'd expect him to come on hugely. He'll definitely still go for the Champion Hurdle and he won't run beforehand."
Sharing top billing with Navajo Pass on Merseyside was Royale Pagaille - who turned
the Peter Marsh Chase into a procession under Tom Scudamore.
In doing so, the Venetia Williams-trained seven-year-old - who still holds his novice status - was cut to as short as 12-1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Star of the show at Ascot was undoubtedly First Flow whose emphatic victory over Politologue in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Clarence House Chase was a first Grade One for trainer Kim Bailey
since Master Oats in the 1995 Gold Cup.
Bailey was quick to praise winning rider David Bass as he said: "You have to hand it to that guy on top, who knows him so well. We realised we couldn't take on Politologue for the lead from the start, but David took the bull by the horns.
"If it's soft or good to soft at Cheltenham you would have to think about the Queen Mother very seriously."