Soft ground will ensure Buveur D'Air has Fighting chance on return to action

Nicky Henderson was confident Buveur D'Air will handle the going at Newcastle on Saturday as he prepares the reigning champion hurdler for his seasonal return in the Unibet Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

The going was soft, heavy in places on Thursday with the course under a light covering of snow but there are no concerns with frost sheets deployed in vulnerable areas and the temperatures set to rise.

Buveur D'Air is the star attraction in a field of five for the race which will be the three-time Grade 1 winner's first appearance since winning the Aintree Hurdle in April.

Henderson, who also had news of Champion Hurdle second My Tent Or Yours, said in his Unibet blog: "We’re going to start on Saturday in the Unibet Fighting Fifth, it’s his first run of the season.

"My Tent Or Yours is going to work at Newbury on Sunday and then we’d be looking toward the Unibet International Hurdle at Cheltenham a fortnight later.

"That’s the plan for the two horses at the moment, the ground at Newcastle is going to be soft. Buveur D’Air handles that very well but My Tent wouldn’t even begin to go on it so, hopefully, we get some nice ground at Cheltenham in December rather than what’s going to be very soft ground at Newcastle."

The 32Red Christmas Hurdle and a possible clash with Faugheen could follow for Buveur D'Air if he comes through Newcastle satisfactorily.

"I don’t know if Faugheen will come over for that, he has done in the past, so we’ll have to see," Henderson added. "It would be nice if we didn’t have to meet until March."

Ladbrokes Trophy hopes

Henderson declared Whisper and Vyta Du Roc among a field of 21 for the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on Saturday with 2015 Gold Cup winner Coneygree top of the handicap.

Whisper (Davy Russell, right) beats Clan Des Obeaux at KemptonCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Willie Mullins-trained Total Recall, the mount of Paul Townend, is a general 5-1 favourite to land the £250,000 handicap chase.

The official going at Newbury is soft (good to soft in places) on the hurdle course and good to soft (soft in places) on the chase course with no rain falling at the track in the last 24 hours and a dry forecast for the next two days.

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