Buveur D'Air may yet head straight to Cheltenham without another run as he bids for a third successive victory in the Champion Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson's eight-year-old has claimed the two-mile hurdling crown in each of the last two seasons and is a hot favourite to become the sixth three-time winner, despite suffering a shock defeat at the hands of stablemate Verdana Blue in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on his latest outing.
Just as he has in each of the last two years, Buveur D'Air is due to warm up for the Festival by running in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on February 2.
Buveur D'Air (left) might go straight to Cheltenham Festival without the usual warm-up race
However, speaking at Newbury on Wednesday, Henderson said: 'I've not decided whether to run him or not at Sandown. We have been treating a couple of things since his last run, because he was a bit sore behind. It was so insignificant - but you keep attention to all details.'
Buveur D'Air will be bidding to emulate Hatton's Grace (1949, 1950, 1951), Sir Ken (1952, 1953, 1954), Persian War (1968, 1969, 1970), See You Then (1985, 1986, 1987) and Istabraq (1998, 1999, 2000) at Cheltenham in March.
Henderson views the Willie Mullins-trained mare Laurina as one of his biggest threats.
He added: 'I thought Laurina was absolutely excellent at Sandown the other day. She was only passing trees and bushes, but she looked great.
'She is a fine, big beast of a mare and obviously ploughs through soft ground very well.
'We have to give her 7lb, and I suppose she is the
