Champion hurdler Buveur D’Air starts campaign in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle
Conditions are certain to be testing for Buveur D'Air as he returns to action against just four rivals in a weak renewal of the Grade One Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.
NICKY HENDERSON is happy to let last season's Champion Hurdle hero Buveur D'Air begin his campaign in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday despite the likely testing conditions.
For many, the countdown has already started to the defence of his Champion Hurdle crown in what could be a mouthwatering clash against the previous season's dominant champion Faugheen.
Champion trainer Henderson is merely taking it one race at a time, starting with the Grade One Unibet Fighting Fifth Hurdle on Saturday.
It looks set to be testing conditions but that will hold no fears for Buveur D'Air, who is proven on soft and heavy ground, while credible opposition looks thin on the ground too.
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Henderson told Unibet: "That ground at Newcastle is going to be soft. Buveur D'Air handles that very well.
"It's always a good place to start. It's a good race and we've got to see how that goes, but there's a very, very long time to go until March.
"A lot of things are going to happen, and the biggest thing to happen so far is that Faugheen is back, and he's going to be a mega threat to everybody."
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Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, expressed similar sentiments about the Fighting Fifth being the obvious first port of call.
Berry said: "Nicky couldn't be happier with him. It's just a lovely race to start him back off in and we hope for the best.
"He won't mind the ground."
The biggest danger to Buveur D'Air should be Irving, winner of this race in 2014 and 2016.
The Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old is very talented on a going day but those of a kinder disposition will call him simply inconsistent. Others may call him disappointing.
His form tailed off significantly after last season's triumph, with his campaign concluding early after he finished last of six behind Yanworth in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton.
Connections will be hoping that a wind operation in the summer, plus a return to his happy hunting ground, does the trick on his comeback run.
Dan Downie, racing manager for owners Axom, said: "He looks well in himself and he goes well fresh. Whether the wind-op will work, who knows with him.
"He has been very in and out but it's not like he's never put good races together back to back before.
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"He gets called some names but I wouldn't mind 10 more of him. He's won 12 of 24 races, two Grade Ones and three Grades Twos - for a syndicate horse he's been brilliant.
"We'll only carry on as long as we are happy and we are certainly happy with him now.
"We've never even thought about chasing as he can take the odd liberty with his hurdles, so we've never thought he'd have the scope for fences."
Keith Dalgleish's Mirsaale, the Nick Williams-trained Flying Tiger and Pauline Robson's Katgary make up the five runners.