Call to reroute Buveur reaps rich dividends

The brave decision to forego a most-promising novice chasing season yielded rich dividend when Buveur D’Air ran out an impressive winner of the Stan James Champion Hurdle in front of a crowd of 66,019 on day one of the 2017 Cheltenham Festival.

In the numbers game, this was also a landmark success for connections, as it gave his trainer, Nicky Henderson, a record sixth success in the race, owner JP McManus his 50th winner at the festival, and jockey Noel Fehily his second win in the race, and 99th of the season.

Buveur D’Air looked well held when third behind stable-companion and subsequent Arkle winner Altior in last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but, following two wins over fences in the early part of this season, Henderson expressed the feeling that the horse had unfinished business over hurdles.