Fighting Fifth preview Nicky Henderson is looking forward to Buveur D'Air starting his countdown to the defence of his Champion Hurdle crown when he lines up for the Unibet Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday. Conditions seem certain to be testing but that should hold no fears for the six-year-old, who is proven on soft and heavy ground. It looks the ideal starting point for Buveur D'Air, with opposition thin on the ground, too. Henderson told Unibet: "That ground at Newcastle is going to be soft. Buveur D'Air handles that very well. "It's always a good place to start. It's a good race and we've got to see how that goes, but there's a very, very long time to go until March. "A lot of things are going to happen, and the biggest thing to happen so far is that Faugheen is back, and he's going to be a mega threat to everybody." Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, expressed similar sentiments about the Fighting Fifth being the obvious first port of call. He said: "Nicky couldn't be happier with him. It's just a lovely race to start him back off in and we hope for the best. "He won't mind the ground." On paper, the biggest danger should be Irving, winner of this race in 2014 and 2016. The form of the Paul Nicholls-trained nine-year-old tailed off after the latter success. He finished last of six behind Yanworth in the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton in February and has had a wind operation. Connections can only hope it does the trick as he returns to his happy hunting ground on his comeback run. Dan Downie, racing manager for owners Axom, said: "He looks well in himself and he goes well fresh. Whether the wind op will work, who knows with him. "He has been very in and out but it's not like he's never put good races together back-to-back before. "He gets called some names but I wouldn't mind 10 more of him. He's won 12 of 24 races, two Grade Ones and three Grades Twos - for a syndicate horse he's been brilliant. "We'll only carry on as long as we are happy and we are certainly happy with him now. "We've never even thought about chasing as he can take the odd liberty with his hurdles, so we've never thought he'd have the scope for fences." Mirsaale picked up some prize-money when last of five finishers 12 months ago and the Keith Dalgleish-trained seven-year-old is guaranteed another share, should he get round. Nick Williams' Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle winner Flying Tiger and Pauline Robson's Katgary make up the five runners.
