Buveur D'Air will not chase a hat-trick in the Unibet Champion Hurdle next week, Nicky Henderson has announced.
The Seven Barrows handler has decided to skip the meeting's first championship contest and wait for Aintree, following his recent conversation with JP McManus.
The leading owner has won the last four renewals of the two-mile Grade 1, a run of success Buveur D'Air began with victories in 2017 and 2018.
Henderson tweeted on Monday evening: "Having discussed plans with JP over the weekend we have decided that Buveur D’Air will NOT run @CheltenhamRaces and instead will wait for @AintreeRaces.
"The extra distance will suit him well. He and Epatante are in very good form and we are very much looking forward to next week."
Buveur D'Air returned from a 420-day injury lay-off with a second place in the The New One Unibet Hurdle at Haydock in January.
The Aintree Hurdle, over two and a half miles, is his new target at next month's Grand National meeting.
Henderson's main contender for the Champion Hurdle is last year's winner Epatante, 7-2 second favourite with the sponsors.
