Connections of former Champion Hurdle winner Binocular have decided against another run before heading to the Festival next month for a shot at the race he won in 2010.
The Nicky Henderson-trained hurdler usually runs in the Contenders Hurdle at Sandown as his final preparation run before he heads to Cheltenham 2012 for the big race in March, however, that meeting was abandoned this year due to the recent cold freeze which has upset his plans for the campaign.
Binocular did have the opportunity to run in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso on Wednesday, but Henderson has decided against that option and is happy to take him straight to the Festival where he will look to become the first horse since Granville Again 1993 to win the Champion Hurdle without already having a run in the same calendar year.
The last time Binocular attempted to win the Champion Hurdle without a previous run that calender year was in 2009 when he went off 6/4 favourite in the Champion Hurdle betting, he could only finish third on that occasion behind Punjabi and Celestial Halo.
The JP Mcmanus owned-horse didn’t make it to the four day Festival last year after he was withdrawn following the advice of the British Horseracing Authority who tested Binocular positive for a banned substance. The eight-year old was expected to go well and headed the ante-post market for the majority of the season.
Last year’s winner Hurricane Fly is the short odds-on favourite to repeat the success he had 12-months ago. The support has continued to come for Willie Mullins’ superstar following his win in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown at the back end of last month.