Firstly, Faugheen may be rising 10yo, but has few miles on the clock, and only has 5 more hurdles starts than BDA.
Secondly, the suggestion that he can’t improve on his Morgiana run, is chancey, imo. Whatever level of fitness he was at, a run would be sure to bring him on to some degree, as it does with 99% of racehorses.
Thirdly, the best of Faugheen’s form is indisputably superior to BDA’s. In fact, it’s not even close.
I do admire the way that KA has had his colours drilled to Buveur’s mast foe a long while, and refuses to contemplate defeat - ably supported by McManus’s number-one cheerleader on the Orient, but their assessment of BDA’s level - insofar as they compare him to Faugheen’s best - is not grounded in reality, imo.
The best they can hope for is that Fagheen bounces at some point; either in (one of) his preps, or the Champion itself....or that his injury flares up again. Because if the old Faugheen turns up next March, BDA will be facing a class of horse in a different Universe, to anything else that he has had to take-on since he returned to hurdling. Horses like MTOY and Irving wouldn’t get within an asses-roar of Faugheen, under any circumstances.
The difference in running styles between the pair should make for a highly-compelling event. Lets hope both make it at 100%.