It was a case of de ja vu for Buveur D'Air and Barry Geraghty at Newcastle on Saturday as the pair galloped away to an eight length victory to win the Fighting Fifth for the second year on bounce.
It looked set to be a much tougher task this year with the Ballymore Novices Hurdle winner Samcro and Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Summerville Boy both challenging the two time Champion Hurdler but if anything, that looked to work in the Alan King trained seven year olds favour.
Setting a nice pace, Samcro was the one who took the early lead with Buveur D'Air and Summerville Boy following back in second and third respectively. It wasn't until the three furlong marker when the race really got interesting.
With Summerville Boy well beaten already, Samcro and Buveur D'Air coasted away from the rest of the field and then it was a head to head battle. Off the bridle quickly, Samcro seemed to keep finding but with Barry Geraghty motionless on Buveur D'Air in second, it looked like a matter of time and that's exactly what it was.
Approaching the last hurdle he gave the boy a tap and he flew over the last fence in typical Buveur D'Air fashion and the race was won.
Prior to the race he was 5/2 to make it a hat-trick of Champion Hurdle victories in March but a simply superb run at Newcastle has seen him backed into odds on in most places.
Can he become the sixth horse to make it a hat-trick of Champion Hurdle wins? Well, going off this run, it shouldn't be too much of a problem for him.