He may be the forgotten horse as far as the betting is concerned, but Nicky Henderson is hopeful dethroned Champion Hurdle king Buveur D'Air will be ready for battle at Cheltenham next March.
The dual winner of the Unibet-backed contest has not raced for 12 months, after a wooden splinter went through his hoof in the Betfair Fighting Fifth Hurdle.
Stablemate Epatante took The Festival's Tuesday two-mile showpiece eight months ago and is primed for her reappearance in Saturday's Grade 1 at Newcastle, where she faces a maximum of nine rivals.
But the race sponsor's 3-1 favourite to retain her crown will be facing opposition from her own camp, as long as he continues to show all of the right signs. "He (Buveur D'Air) has used the Contenders
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