Khyber Kim is the horse that Nicky Henderson fears most in Tuesday's Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.
Henderson is responsible for a quarter of the 12 horses declared for the two-mile championship at Cheltenham but despite Go Native and Solwhit being among the field it his former inmate Khyber Kim that the Seven Barrow handler is most worried about.
Khyber Kim claimed the scalp of Celestial Halo and Punjabi in the Boylesports.com International Hurdle and having trained him Henderson knows that Nigel Twiston-Davies' charge has a strong chance of claiming the spoils at Prestbury Park.
"Khyber Kim is the horse I am most afraid of. I used to have him as a novice and I remember Mick Fitzgerald said at the time the horse could win a Champion Hurdle and an Ascot Gold Cup as he is that good," Henderson said.
Reigning champion Punjabi, Binocular, third in last year's race, and Triumph Hurdle winner Zaynar will all go to post for Henderson and the trainer is expecting big runs from each of them despite mixed preparations.
"Punjabi might lack sex appeal, but he has won the race before and wears a crown that says Champion Hurdle on it," he added. "He had a nice little race framed for him at Kempton where he did it well and looked good."
Binocular was ruled out of the contest over fears he had developed a muscular problem but subsequent tests came back all-clear and the winning-most trainer at Cheltenham believes the six-year-old has the ability to win the Champion.
"He schooled 12 hurdles last Wednesday and he looked like the old Binocular, he was very, very quick - like an Olympic athlete," the trainer went on.
"It was JP's (McManus, owner) birthday and I called him with the news, but he said AP had already been on sounding like a child with a new toy!
"I think Binocular will win a Champion Hurdle one year, but I don't know which."