Sunday 23 December 2018 11:14, UK
Buveur D'Air has just the four rivals as he bids to join the elite club of dual winners in the Unibet Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The two-time Champion Hurdle hero goes to the Sunbury venue after making a convincing seasonal debut when beating Samcro in the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle.
The Nicky Henderson-trained seven-year-old, who has won his last 11 starts, will now try to join such greats as Lanzarote, Faugheen and Binocular, who carried the colours of the same owner JP McManus to victory in 2010 and 2011, as double Christmas Hurdle scorers.
Henderson, who has already trained a record seven winners of this Grade One contest, also saddles Verdana Blue, winner of the Elite Hurdle last month and runner-up in a Listed race on the Flat three weeks ago.
Elite runner-up If The Cap Fits drops back in trip after winning the Coral Hurdle for trainer Harry Fry over two and a half miles at Ascot last month.
The Warren Greatrex-trained Boite and Ben Pauling's Global Citizen complete the quintet.