Flying Falcon stakes claim

INTERSKY FALCON bounced back into the reckoning for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle when winning the Jobs@Pertemps City Christmas Hurdle for the second time at Kempton yesterday.

John Joe O'Neill's blinkered six-year-old beat reigning title-holder Rooster Booster two and a half lengths and was quoted as short as 8-1 by Ladbrokes, William Hill and Victor Chandler to take the crown in March.

In a change of tactics, Intersky Falcon was held up by Liam Cooper as Brooklyn's Gold, in the same colours as Rooster Booster, cut out the pace.