‘Perfect’ day out for Tent ahead of Champion Hurdle challenge

My Tent Or Yours was not required to break sweat to win a jumpers’ bumper at Kempton yesterday in what Nicky Henderson described as a “perfect” experience ahead of his challenge for the Stan James Champion Hurdle.

On his first outing since landing the Christmas Hurdle at the same course on St Stephen’s Day, My Tent Or Yours was the 1-5 favourite for a two-mile event on the Polytrack and he took a strong hold in Tony McCoy’s hands as the field passed the stands with a lap to go.

A gelding who has always shown a smart cruising speed, he made a smooth transition from mid-division to reach the lead with over two furlongs left and had no difficulty in pulling four and a half lengths away from Ranjaan, who would be rated around 2st inferior over hurdles. Henderson elected to sidestep Saturday’s Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton because of testing ground and had intended to give the Cheltenham sponsors’ 5-1 third-favourite a racecourse gallop until this fixture was announced late last week.