Faugheen remains favourite for Christmas Sponsors William Hill make Faugheen the 4-6 favourite to regain winning ways and successfully defend his crown in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was a brilliant winner of the Grade One last season and went on to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and the equivalent race at Punchestown. He suffered the first defeat of his career when surprisingly beaten by stable companion Nichols Canyon in Sunday's Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown, but William Hill expect him to bounce back over the Festive period. Spokesman Jon Ivan-Duke said: "Faugheen has to be forgiven a slightly below-par performance on his first run in six months and we fully expect 'The Machine' to be back firing on all cylinders come Christmas time." The long-absent My Tent Or Yours is second favourite at 11-2, ahead of The New One at 7-1 and Irving at 10-1.
