RACING: Nicky Henderson admits the statistics are against Binocular as he aims to take top honours in the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham tomorrow.
Last year’s hero Katchit stopped the rot as far as five-year-old winners of the race are concerned, as he became the first horse of that age to win the race since Henderson’s See You Then in 1985.
Binocular has been hugely impressive on his two starts this season and although he was beaten into second in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the showpiece meeting 12 months ago, that defeat is not worrying his Seven Barrows handler.
“Katchit won as a five-year-old but statistically it is difficult for horses in their second season in the Champion. I think See You Then was the last before Katchit,” said Henderson.
“(Owner) JP McManus always felt the five-year-olds don’t have an easy time. We only planned to have two runs - the Boylesports and the Champion - and it was only that Haydock kindly put on a level weights four-year-old race for £50,000 that tempted us again.
“This fellow is favourite. See You Then wasn’t first time but the one thing they have in common is the ability to cross a hurdle very quickly, very slickly and economically.
“He does his work well and it’s not particularly flashy but when you put a hurdle in front of him he can either see it on a long stride, or even pop away and he’ll still make two lengths doing that.
“That is his one asset and what a real hurdler does. He has to do it eight times on Tuesday. Celestial Halo is going to be there but we have met twice and beaten him twice. I’d rather like to think we’ll beat him again.
“At Cheltenham last year it was the first time AP had ridden him. He did nothing wrong but when we took him to Aintree and Ascot, he didn’t exactly hit the front as far out. He was travelling too well at Cheltenham.
“There will be stamina horses dragging it out of him and one of those I do seriously fear is Osana, who has got Champion Hurdle form.
“He and Celestial Halo might think we won’t get up the hill but I’m not worried.
“Punjabi - he might not get up the hill if they go flat to the boards, but Sentry Duty is there and he does stay.”