Buveur D'Air and Barry Geraghty© Photo Healy Racing
Buveur D'Air took a step up in trip in his stride by casting aside his opponents in striking fashion in the Betway Aintree Hurdle.
Although having previously never raced beyond an extended two miles, the Champion Hurdle winner made light work of the two-and-half-mile trip to notch a third Grade One success. The New One set out to make sure any stamina limitations in the six-year-old would be exposed, setting a decent pace until giving way at the second-last.
It was at that point the 4-9 favourite, although needing to be shaken up by Barry Geraghty to do so, passed the 2014 winner and pressed on down to the last.
After safely negotiating the final flight, the Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old was just kept up to his work before crossing the line five lengths clear of stablemate and Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours
Geraghty said: "He did that really well, he was obviously back in his Cheltenham form and Nicky has done a great job to get him back so soon.
"He's a very good horse. He's sharp, he's buzzy - he's a proper two-miler really.
"It's great for Nicky having the first two (as he chases the trainers' championship)."
Henderson said: "It seems so unfair doing this to My Tent as if any horse deserved to win here or at Cheltenham it's him, but all we are doing is beating him ourselves which seems so ridiculous!
"Where else can you go, you have to come here and the Cheltenham form has been confirmed.
"Buveur had quite a tough race at Cheltenham, they all do, no matter how easy they win, it's like Defi Du Seuil they come out of it well but they won't have done much.
"We'll speak to JP (McManus) but I'd have thought it would be unlikely he'll go to Punchestown. It will probably be shoes off and out for his summer break.
"There's a long way to go in the championship but we've got some nice horses over the first couple of days and then all we can do is sit back - you never know we might win it (National) with Cocktails At Dawn.
"It's fun, Paul (Nicholls) and I will have a laugh about it."
