Buveur D'Air too good for Samcro in Fighting Fifth

Dual champion Buveur D’Air was a hugely impressive winner of the BetVictor Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

Nicky Henderson’s seven-year-old handed out an eight-length beating to Irish challenger Samcro, who was backed into 6-5 favourite marginally ahead of him but in the end was no match for the winner.

Buveur D’Air has therefore taken his unbeaten run to 11, dating back to April 2016 and including the last two editions of the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Henderson was a nervous onlooker from Newbury, where he said: “I think it was relief more than anything. After the bloody nose with Might Bite (Betfair Chase) last Saturday, I was prepared for a second one.

“That was an incredible performance. He doesn’t make mistakes, then he makes one at the last, but he picked up. There is so much more improvement in him.

“Last year’s Fighting Fifth was a penalty kick. They went a proper gallop, which was no surprise as they tried to stretch his fitness. They were testing me really.

“I thought it was very smooth and slick. He looked like a true champion. He is what he is — a two-time Champion Hurdle winner. Some people haven’t rated him as a dual Champion Hurdle winner — I think today those are two good horses.

“He wasn’t at his best in last year’s Champion Hurdle, he didn’t go to Aintree or anywhere else after it, it knocked him around. I don’t think he was right at the time, and it’s great to see him come back and do that.”

Assessing future plans, the Seven Barrows trainer said: “I can’t see why he won’t do Christmas Hurdle, somewhere and you know where in March — the dream is still alive.”