Fusil Raffles produces workmanlike display to win Elite Hurdle for Henderson

There was more confusion than clarity after the Unibet Elite Hurdle with winning trainer Nicky Henderson having a problem many of his colleagues would love.

Bookmakers were among the most confused after Fusil Raffles fired the first salvo from Seven Barrows in the Unibet Champion Hurdle battle as the sponsors tightened the four-year-old to 10-1 from 14-1.

Betfair went the other way to 16-1 from 12-1 and Paddy Power 14-1 from 12-1 behind 7-2 favourite Klassical Dream.

Henderson unburdened his concerns, having a holy trinity of Champion hopes with former dual champion Buveur D'Air and another of his precocious juvenile hurdlers Pentland Hills, the Triumph Hurdle winner.

There just are not enough two-mile conditions races to go around for him as he lamented the loss of an appropriate one at Haydock and with the Ascot Hurdle out of reach being over 2m3½f.

Connections with Fusil Raffles after his hard-fought win in the Unibet Elite Hurdle at WincantonCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Henderson said: "I've got to find somewhere for all of them without running against each other. Buveur goes for the Fighting Fifth, and you can't start a four-year-old off top weight in the Greatwood next week."

Grand Sancy and Harry Cobden set out to test Fusil Raffles for fitness and only failed by three-quarters of a length despite conceding 3lb to the winner.

That explains bookmaker reaction, but Henderson sent some punters running for the prices as he said: "Three weeks ago he hadn't had a gallop as all he had done was grow and not filled out quite as I expected, so I spent the first six weeks trying to change him to a rounder shape.

"I would have liked another two weeks and they set off to find out if he was fit and it was softer than he has run on before."

Winning rider Daryl Jacob, who had been fired up about Fusil Raffles after working him a couple of times at Seven Barrows, said: "I must admit I thought he was fit enough to come and win, but coming into the paddock and looking at the others I wasn't so sure.

"He's tough and at Kempton and Punchestown he won on good ground, and whether the softest ground he has raced on blunted his jumping a bit, I don't know. I'm delighted with him and he has come out on top of a very good, more seasoned horse."

Those who write off Fusil Raffles as a Champion Hurdle contender do so at their peril.

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