Buveur D’Air has won the Unibet Champion Hurdle for the second year in a row.
The Nicky Henderson-horse just held off a challenge by Melon inside the final furlong, and took the Grade One and main event of Champions’ Day once again.
Barry Geraghty topped the horse that went off as a big favourite, and guided the horse round Prestbury Park masterfully.
As Faugheen looked to be a front-runner throughout the majority of the race, Ruby Walsh faded badly in between the penultimate jump and the final jump.
A French horse, Buveur D’Air was bought by J P McManus at the conclusion of the 2016 season, and since has been in the hands of the immensely successful Henderson.
The seven-year-old hasn’t failed to win a race since mid-2016, and is now commanding a list of ten consecutive wins.
Buveur D’Air becomes the fifteenth horse in history to defend a race at Cheltenham.
