Buveur D'Air might have to make way for younger talents in the Champion Hurdle

The photographic evidence of Buveur D'Air running with a piece of hurdle protruding from his off-fore following a blunder at the second-last suggests we should not be too harsh on him following his 2-13 defeat at the hands of a rival officially rated 19lb his inferior in Newcastle's Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

We will know more when his wellbeing has been assessed at home, but the initial reaction was one of disappointment, even allowing for him finishing sore and for the enterprisingly ridden Cornerstone Lad being allowed too much rope.

After all, a third Fighting Fifth ought to have been a formality and, despite the blunder, he still looked almost sure to take the leader's measure on the run-in.