Swan delighted with Falcon ride

Intersky Falcon will face a maximum of nine rivals when he bids to continue his winning ways in the Pertemps Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day.

The Jonjo O’Neill-trained five-year-old is unbeaten in three starts this season and was the impressive winner of the Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle last time.

O’Neill has engaged Istabraq’s jockey Charlie Swan for the progressive five-year-old as regular partner Liam Cooper will be serving a suspension.

Reacting to his booking Swan said: “I’m delighted. It’s especially nice but it’s unfortunate for poor Liam so I hope I can do something good.

“You would imagine a flat track like Kempton would suit the horse.”

Possible rivals for Intersky Falcon could include James Fanshawe’s Smurfit Champion Hurdle hero Hors La Loi III, who is none the worse for a heavy fall last time, his stable companion and easy Cheltenham winner Eternal Spring, Ladbroke Hurdle victor Marble Arch, last season’s leading Irish novice Davenport Milenium, Martin Pipe’s duo Ilnamar and Puntal and the Paul Nicholls-trained Santenay.

Fifth Generation and Yorkshire were added to the Grade One contest when the race was reopened for entry after only eight were originally made.