RACING:Binocular remains the firm favourite to take top honours in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle following the first entry stage for the feature event on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.
The five-year-old has been hugely impressive on his two starts during the current campaign, most recently pulverising his rivals in the rearranged Boylesports.com International at Ascot.
Despite the presence of the last four Champion Hurdle heroes in Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, Sublimity and Katchit, Nicky Henderson’s charge is as short as even-money with totesport, and spokesman George Primarolo believes he has the look of a good thing.
“Binocular’s victory at Ascot cemented his position at the head of the market and he is all set to be one of the shortest-priced favourites at the Cheltenham Festival,” said Primarolo.
“There are several ex-Champion Hurdlers in the field but none have shown the level of form that Nicky Henderson’s horse has this season and Binocular is sure to be one of the bankers of the meeting.”
Binocular is part of a strong hand for Henderson, with stablemates Afsoun, Punjabi, Sentry Duty and Aigle D’Or also entered.
Willie Mullins’s smart novice Hurricane Fly is still a possible at this stage, while the likes of Sizing Europe, Jered, Harchibald and Catch Me are others who could make the journey across from Ireland on March 10th.
Last year’s runner-up Osana has not been seen this season but could bid to go one better, while Blue Bajan, Silent Oscar and Donald McCain’s mare Whiteoak are also on the list.
The hurdling crown is one of the few races to have eluded Paul Nicholls, who this year looks set to rely on Celestial Halo and Rippling Ring, both of which run in the colours of leading National Hunt owner Andy Stewart.
“We have entered both Celestial Halo and Rippling Ring and the plan at the moment is for both of them to run,” said Stewart. “We thought that Celestial Halo had to do the donkey work in the Boylesports International last time and set the race up for Binocular so we hope that Rippling Ring can set a strong pace at the Festival.
“Celestial Halo led from start to finish in the Triumph Hurdle and he needs to go at a good gallop because he’s probably a two-and-a-half-miler around Cheltenham and a three-miler elsewhere.
“He won’t run in the Irish Champion Hurdle, but he could make an appearance in the totepool Contenders Hurdle at Sandown on January 31st.
“Binocular looks the one to beat. It would be quite nice for (owner) JP McManus because when we beat Franchoek in the Triumph Hurdle, he was the first person to congratulate me.”
Robbie Hennessy believes Sublimity is the value bet and reports him to be in fine form following his success in last month’s December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.
“He did it well at Leopardstown last time,” said Hennessy. “He is so fit now and will probably do the same work next Saturday morning and he’ll keep ticking over.
“I am hoping to run on Sunday week in the Irish Champion.
“Last year at Cheltenham the rain came that morning and, if it hadn’t, he might have stayed a bit better up the hill.
“He seems as good as ever and he doesn’t have that many miles on the clock as he is quite lightly raced.
“I am going to Cheltenham very hopeful. The bookmakers make it a one-horse race with Binocular.
“But it’s not a pushover for him and my horse is a great price.”
Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle
Totesport bet:Evens Binocular, 10-1 Celestial Halo, 10-1 Sublimity, 12-1 Crack Away Jack, 12-1 Katchit, 14-1 Osana, 16-1 Hurricane Fly, 16-1 Jered, 16-1 Punjabi, 16-1 Sizing Europe, 20-1 Harchibald, 20-1 Snap Tie, 25-1 bar.
Paddy Power bet:5-4 Binocular, 9-1 Sublimity, 12-1 Celestial Halo, 12-1 Crack Away Jack, 12-1 Katchit, 12-1 Osana, 12-1 Punjabi, 14-1 Jered, 14-1 Sizing Europe, 20-1 Ashkazar, 20-1 Snap Tie, 20-1 Harchibald, 25-1 bar.