STAN JAMES CHAMPION

HURDLE CHALLENGE

TROPHY (GRADE 1)

SO the months of upheaval, uncertainty and drama finally came to end as Buveur D’Air was produced in the form of his life by Nicky Henderson to claim the opening day feature which provided the most fitting stage for J.P. McManus to make it 50 winners at the meeting.

This year’s Champion Hurdle was shorn of previous winners and likely contenders over the last few months but a bold decision to leave behind a chasing career saw Buveur D’Air step up to mark in dominant fashion. Last year’s Supreme Novices third was one of those in the line-up with the capacity to improve on the form that he had shown so far.

This he did as he led home a one-two for both trainer and owner with the admirable Champion Hurdle regular My Tent Or Yours taking second in the race for the third time. The last-named is a fine yardstick by which to measure the winner’s quality and, while some may question the quality of the race, he was beaten the very same distance as when chasing home Annie Power 12 months ago.

A second winner of this race for Noel Fehily, Buveur D’Air took a circuitous but not unprecedent route to the Champion Hurdle. Both Morley Street (1991) and Beech Road (1989) had been chasing before their respective wins in this race but unlike them this year’s champion boasted a flawless two-race record over the larger obstacles.

CHASE FORM

The quality of his chasing form was illustrated earlier in the afternoon when Cloudy Dream, his vanquished opponent from Haydock in December, took second in the Arkle. However a season of upheaval in the two-mile hurdling division prompted a providential change of course.

On what was just his sixth career outing over timber, Buveur D’Air produced a display worthy of the most seasoned and battle hardened champion hurdlers. He took up a nice position from an early stage, travelled and jumped well and was ideally poised for Fehily nearing the turn-in.

On the run to the last, Buveur D’Air saw off the game front-runner Petit Mouchoir and a bold jump at the last made sure of victory. My Tent Or Yours stayed on to secure the runner-up spot while Petit Mouchoir was a further three lengths back in third. Footpad ran a good fourth for Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

“The horse he beat easily first time out over fences was second in the Arkle and I thought ‘blimey, that’s good form’. I was wondering had I done the wrong thing,” exclaimed an elated Henderson.

BEAUTIFUL RIDE

“We felt it was the right thing to do to come back over hurdles and it has worked on the day. Noel gave him a beautiful ride too. You do feel sorry for My Tent who has come here four times and been second in three Champion Hurdles and a Supreme Novices. He’s been sensational but it was the youngster’s day.”

“It would be very hard not to stay over hurdles with him now. The ground today was as quick as he’d ever want it but he stays further so two and a half miles with a cut in the ground would be great and the Aintree Hurdle is a race that could suit.”

The winning owner McManus added: “Every winner you have at Cheltenham is a magic moment. I have many favourites (of his 50 Cheltenham winners). Mister Donovan was the first in 1982 and I always said had he not won I would not have had the others.’’