Thief back over hurdles at Aintree Identity Thief is an interesting contender for the Betway Aintree Hurdle on Thursday. Henry de Bromhead's Grade One winner started the season as one of the ante-post favourites for the Arkle Trophy, but two faultless displays over fences have been followed by three forgettable ones and he now finds himself back over the smaller obstacles. Eddie O'Leary, representing owners Gigginstown House Stud, said: "It wasn't working for him over fences so he's going back over hurdles and we'll see what happens. He's coming back after a lacklustre campaign so we'll see." Bryan Cooper takes the ride and said in his 32Red blog: "I think Identity Thief will benefit from the step back up in trip, and the return to hurdling. Chasing just didn't work out for him after a promising start and, although his best recent hurdling form has come over two miles, he is a year older now and had good form over this trip earlier in his career. "But he has to run a career-best to be winning this if the others run to form, that much is true. He has done plenty of schooling over hurdles, though, and he seemed in real good order when I sat on him at home last week." Colin Kidd's Rashaan also makes the journey from Ireland, while Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D'Air aims to emulate Annie Power 12 months ago by following up on Merseyside. The last horse to do the double before Willie Mullins' great mare was Istabraq in 1999 who, just like Buveur D'Air, was owned by JP McManus. Buveur D'Air has never raced over two and a half miles before but he has not tasted defeat since finishing third to stablemate Altior in last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle. He will be joined by another Nicky Henderson-trained stable companion, the admirable My Tent Or Yours, who finished second to Buveur D'Air at Cheltenham last month, the fourth time he has been runner-up at the Festival. McManus' jockey Barry Geraghty missed Cheltenham through injury but was back with a winner at the weekend and aims to make up for lost time on Buveur D'Air. "He was very good at Cheltenham. He was very impressive, travelled brilliantly, picked up and won well. The Supreme form from last year is working out well with Altior," he told At The Races. "He was very good on the day and Noel (Fehily) gave him a lovely ride. He won well and My Tent Or Yours ran a cracker." He went on: "I think Buveur D'Air will enjoy the trip. Soft ground over two miles was no problem to him, so you'd imagine two and a half on better ground at Aintree would be perfect. "If anything, the way he won at Aintree last season you'd imagine he'd probably want two and a half round there."
