Fencing shelved for Buveur D'Air with team 'in agreement' on Champion Hurdle bid

Nicky Henderson has announced Buveur D'Air is to revert to hurdles for an intended crack at the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.The six-year-old, owned by JP McManus, was third behind stable companion Altior in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Prestbury Park last March.He went on to claim a Grade One success of his own at Aintree, but had switched to fences this season, winning his first two starts at Haydock and Warwick.The French-bred gelding hasbeen given an entry in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown this weekend, but an indication of perhaps how connections were thinking came on Tuesday with an additional engagement in the Contenders Hurdle on the same card. In the end he will run in neither, with Kelso on February 16 the destination for his pre-Cheltenham outing.Henderson said: "It's something that's been at the back of my mind for a while."We got Barry (Geraghty) down to school him this morning and at 8am we weren't sure whether we were going to school him over hurdles or fences!"He's done well over fences and we might go down that route again in the future, but he was also a very good novice hurdler last season and he's such a slick jumper. "We schooled him over hurdles this morning and he was like an arrow, so that's the route we're going to go down." Elaborating on plans, the Seven Barrows handler added: "He won't run in the Scilly Isles and he won't go in the Contenders Hurdle as JP has Yanworth going there. "The race we're looking at is the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso. We won it last year with Top Notch and it's a race and track that I like. "I think two and a quarter miles there on a bit of soft ground will be absolutely perfect for Buveur D'Air and we'll take it from there." The news has unsurprisingly had a significant impact on the Champion Hurdle betting, with Buveur D'Air now as short as 5-1 with some bookmakers. With last year's winner Annie Power already ruled out and doubts hanging over 2015 hero Faugheen after missing Sunday's Irish Champion Hurdle, Henderson feels the race is up for grabs. "It does look wide open," he said."As well as Buveur D'Air we've got Brain Power and My Tent Or Yours, and JP also has Yanworth and Jezki, but you don't mind having a few in a race like the Champion Hurdle. "What's happened to Annie Power is very sad, but Faugheen is still there and we're not switching Buveur D'Air because of what's happened to him. " It's been an executive decision between myself, JP, AP (McCoy) and Frank (Berry, racing manager).There are lot of members on the board and we were all in agreement." Asked whether he considered a similar switch with Altior, who has looked imperious in three starts over fences to date, the trainer added: "No. Everything is going very well for him and we didn't even enter him in the Champion Hurdle, whereas we did put Buveur D'Air in. "Altior schooled over fences this morning and was great and all going well and ground permitting, he's on course to go to Newbury for the Game Spirit." Meanwhile, Berryconfirmed Yanworth is on course to have his prep run for the Champion in the Betfred-sponsored Contenders Hurdle. Trained by Alan King, the seven-year-old is currently second-favourite for the Cheltenham showpiece at around 3-1, and Berrysaid: "Hopefully, Yanworth will go to Sandown. " Yanworth has won both his starts this season, his latest success coming in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, but he is expected to be better suited to the stiffer track at Sandown. Although Buveur D'Air is set to swerve Sandown, Henderson has impressive Ascot handicap hurdle scorer Brain Power with which to take on Yanworth at the weekend.The Paul Nicholls-trained Irving might try to make amends for his fall in the Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock recently, while Rayvin Black, Hurry Henry and Sleepy Haven make up the seven entries.