Buveur d'Air

2014–2015: National Hunt Flat races

Buveur d'Air began his racing career in flat races restricted to AQPS horses. He was unbeaten in two French races, winning at Saint-Jean-de-Monts in August 2014 and at Nantes on 2 October. The gelding was then acquired by Potensis Bloodstock and Chris Giles and was sent to England where he was trained at Upper Lambourn in Berkshire by Nicky Henderson. Competing for his new connections in National Hunt Flat races he finished second to Barters Hill in February 2015 at Newbury Racecourse and then finished fourth behind the same horse in the more competitive Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race at Aintree's Grand National meeting in April.^[7]

2015/2016 National Hunt season

In the 2015/2016 National Hunt season Buveur d'Air was campaigned in novice hurdle races. On his debut over obstacles he won a maiden hurdle at Newbury in November taking the lead at the final flight and accelerating clear to win in "impressive" style by eleven lengths from the favoured Wait For Me.^[8] At Huntingdon Racecourse in January he started at odds of 2/11 and won "very easily" by seven lengths from eight opponents.^[9]

Buveur d'Air made his first appearance at the Cheltenham Festival on 15 March 2016 when he started the 10/1 third favourite in a fourteen-runner field for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. After being restrained by his regular jockey Noel Fehily in the early stages he stayed on without ever looking likely to win and finished third behind his stablemate Altior and the Irish-trained Min. Buveur d'Air returned to Aintree in April and started the 11/4 second favourite behind Limini (winner of the Dawn Run Mares' Novices' Hurdle) in the Grade 1 Top Novices' Hurdle. Equipped with ear-plugs, he moved into contention at the final flight, caught the leader Petit Mouchoir in the final strides and won by a neck with a gap of eight lengths back to Limini in third. The unplaced runners included Bleu et Rouge (Deloitte Novice Hurdle) and Agrapart (Betfair Hurdle).^[10] At the end of the season he was bought privately by J P McManus.

2016/2017 National Hunt season

Buveur d'Air began the 2016/2017 National Hunt season by competing in novice chases. On his debut over fences at Haydock Park on 17 December he was ridden by Aidan Coleman and won "easily" by three and a quarter lengths from Cloudy Dream.^[11] He followed up two weeks later at Warwick Racecourse, taking the lead on the run-in and winning by two and a quarter lengths from Gino Trail at odds of 30/100.

With several leading hurdlers being injured and the Henderson-trained Altior dominating the novice chase division it was decided to return Buveur d'Air to the smaller obstacles for the remainder of the season. In the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown Park Racecourse he was partnered by Barry Geraghty and went off at odds of 1/4 against three opponents headed by the dual Fighting Fifth Hurdle winner Irving. After racing in fourth place for most of the way he "cruised" into the lead on the run-in and won by one and a half lengths from Rayvin Black.^[12]

In the 2017 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on 14 March Buveur d'Air started the 5/1 second favourite behind the Christmas Hurdle winner Yanworth. The other nine runners included Petit Mouchoir (winner of the Irish Champion Hurdle), Brain Power (Wessex Youth Trust Handicap Hurdle), The New One, My Tent Or Yours, Footpad (Prix Alain du Breil, Prix Renaud de Vivier) and Wicklow Brave (Irish St Leger). Ridden by Fehily Buveur d'Air settled in mid-division as Petit Mouchoir set the pace, and moved into contention after the fifth flight. He overtook Petit Mouchoir approaching the final obstacle and drew away on the run-in to win by four and a half lengths. My Tent Or Yours stayed on to take second ahead of Petit Mouchoir, Footpad and The New One.^[13]