Henderson’s Buveur D’Air makes headlines
Buveur D’Air captured the headlines on another actionpacked weekend of racing in Britain and Ireland.
While Buveur D’Air may not have hitherto gained the credit he deserves, the dual Champion Hurdle hero will surely start to do so now as he showed he will be hard to stop in his bid for a third win in two-mile showpiece in March when dismissing Samcro in Saturday’s high-quality renewal of the BetVictor Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
His trainer Nicky Henderson was at Newbury, where he said: “That was special.
“There are other fish in the pond, but he is the horse they have to beat. He wasn’t himself in the Champion Hurdle last year, and we knew that. It took him a long time to get over it.
“There is a lot more to come. The Christmas Hurdle will be next and you have to nearly go the same route, so you would say the Contenders Hurdle [at Sandown] and then back there [Cheltenham] in March and on to Aintree.”
Samcro’s trainer, Gordon Elliott, took defeat on the chin, saying: “The best won. No matter what tactics we tried, that would have been the result. I’m still going to train him for the Champion Hurdle – we can’t back down now.”
If Henderson can point towards a horse that will grab the headlines in the future, he may need look no further than Santini, who made a most impressive start over fences in the Ladbrokes John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury.
Henderson said: “He has only won a novice chase, but to be fair he has won a Grade One hurdle too, and he has got his life ahead of him.
“I suppose he will have to go to Kempton [Kauto Star Novices’ Chase, on Boxing Day] as there are so few you can run him in.”
Henderson had to settle for fourth-best with Beware The Bear in the Ladbrokes Trophy Chase as victory in the historic handicap went to Sizing Tennessee, who led home a onetwo for trainer Colin Tizzard when defeating stable-mate Elegant Escape by ten lengths.
Tizzard, winning the race for the second time after Native River in 2016, said: “Tom [Scudamore] encouraged me when we legged him up, as he said he is one of the best handicappers in the race. Sometimes you get lucky.
“He just strolled away with it. I thought he might run a big race, but to win like that does surprise you. He was the one that unless he clobbered one was going to win.”
An emotional Scudamore said: “I lost my grandfather two weeks ago. It was his funeral yesterday and I wasn’t able to go – those are the sacrifices you make. I was so sorry not to be there, but he was with us today.”
Elliott was in pole position yesterday, with a ‘four-timer’ at Fairyhouse headlined by the mare Apple’s Jade, who recorded a hat-trick of wins in the baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.
It was clear at the top of the home straight the six-year-old had the race in her grasp if she safely negotiated the remaining two obstacles, and she jumped both with aplomb to become the third three-times winner of the Hatton’s Grace along with the hugely popular Limestone Lad and Solerina.
Elliott declared: “When she went down and jumped the last, it was a big relief.
“Horses like her are what the public want to see and I’m lucky enough to be training her,” the trainer added.
Delta Work was another Grade One winner for Elliott on the day in the Drinmore Chase, while Willie Mullins got in on the act thanks to a smart performance from Quick Grabim in the Royal Bond Hurdle.