Nicky Henderson admits he will be disappointed if Champion Hurdle hero Buveur D’Air can’t strike in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle (2.30pm).
Unbeaten in his last seven starts, last year’s Cheltenham and Aintree Grade One winner made a winning start on his return to register a fourth top level success.
His took the Fighting Fifth Hurdle in impressive style and is well-fancied to give his trainer a seventh win in this race.
“This looks another pretty easy opportunity to gain some more valuable prize money and continue our path to the Champion Hurdle,” said the Champion trainer.
“It’s a disappointingly small field but hopefully The New One will ensure a decent gallop and I wouldn’t be worried at all about the ground.
“He’s been working well and arrives here in great form and Newcastle would have brought him on plenty as well.
The New One is better than anything he raced against in the Unibet Fighting Fifth but Nigel’s horse did have a hard race at Cheltenham and is backing up quite quickly, that said, he’s as tough as old boots and won’t go down without a fight.
“Buveur is a fresh horse and in all honesty it will be disappointing if he can’t take this.”
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ legendary The New One finished second in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham last time, and has finished second in this in the last two renewals.
Chesterfield, Mohaayad and Old Guard also take part in the prestigious two-mile prize.
TIP: Buveur D’Air is the best horse here and something would have to go seriously wrong for him not to win this. He is the best British two-mile hurdler and is likely to reclaim the Champion Hurdle, unless Faugheen is firing. The New One sets a good standard, whilst Old Guard may sneak a place.
