Buveur D'Air set for Kelso return as Henderson aims to equal Morebattle record

Buveur D’Air is set to make his long-awaited return in the bet365 Morebattle Hurdle (3.15) on Saturday as Nicky Henderson launches a two-pronged assault on Kelso’s £100,000 feature handicap.

The dual Champion Hurdle winner has been absent since finishing fourth in last year's Aintree Hurdle and will carry topweight on his seasonal reappearance.

Now an eleven-year-old, the JP-McManus owned veteran has not been a regular on the track in recent years, but his previous exploits could make him a tough horse to beat off a mark of 153 as he is pitched into handicap company for the first time.

Henderson has a good record in the Morebattle and is one win away from equalling Gordon Richards' tally of four wins in the race.

The Seven Barrows trainer is also represented with the promising novice Balco Coastal, who has been given an opening handicap mark of 134, and a good performance could set him up for the McCoy Contractors County Handicap Hurdle, for which he is a general 14-1 chance.

However, it is not the Henderson pair that lead the market with Harry Fry’s Metier heading the betting of the 17 entries. A Grade 1 winner as a novice, Metier will be aiming to make it back-to-back wins after bouncing back to form at Lingfield's Winter Million meeting in January, with the forecast rain a big positive for the mud-loving six-year-old.

The race reverted back to a handicap for last year's running which went to the Emmet Mullins-trained The Shunter, with this year's Irish challenge consisting of the Jessica Harrington-trained Autumn Evening and Stuart Crawford-trained Saint D’Oroux. Faivoir finished third to The Shunter that day and could line up off the same mark here with Brian Ellison's Cheltenham scorer Cormier also of interest.

National contenders

Jonjo O'Neill's Cloth Cap has a pair of potential engagements on Saturday as he looks to display his Randox Grand National credentials.

Last year’s 11-2 National favourite could attempt to defend his crown in the Listed bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso (2.40), but also has the option of the 3m2f Virgin Bet Grimthorpe Chase (3.30) at Doncaster, for which he is the highest rated of the 17 entries.

The ten-year-old made a respiratory noise when pulled up by Tom Scudamore in last year's National but prior to that, he won the Premier Chase by seven and a half lengths and could follow the same path.

Cloth Cap: could attempt to make it back-to-back wins in the bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Sky Bet Chase scorer Windsor Avenue also holds the same pair of entries and it will be interesting to see whether Brian Ellison opts for a return to Doncaster on what would be the furthest trip tackled by the ten-year-old as part of his Grand National preparations.

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