RACING/Haydock report:JP McManus is no stranger to Champion Hurdle success thanks to three-time winner Istabraq and the owner's latest aspirant Binocular set out on the Festival path with a bloodless success in the Betfair Hurdle at Haydock today.
Last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle runner-up has yet to finish out of the first two in five starts, and found himself the new 3-1 favourite with Ladbrokes for Cheltenham after an exhibition round.
Nicky Henderson's charge faced an easy task for his seasonal debut against four inferior rivals and barely broke sweat as Tony McCoy brought the 1-9 favourite home unchallenged.
McCoy said: "He is a very talented horse with a lot of speed and pace. He jumped a couple down the back very quickly and then started to get keen when he got more competitive.
"He was going so well that I thought he might grab at a hurdle but he was very quick and tight. He will have the freshness out of him now and will relax better next time.
"He is fast and fluent, which he will have to be if he is going to make up into a Champion Hurdle horse."
McManus said: "He has a long way to go to match up to Istabraq but you have to love what he did there.
"He proved he was well and in good form, and the bookmakers have priced him fairly for the Champion Hurdle."
Snoopy Loopy provided trainer Peter Bowen with his finest hour as former Gold Cup hero Kauto Star failed to complete in the Betfair Chase.
Twelve months ago Sam Thomas stepped up to the plate aboard the 2007 blue riband winner and enjoyed a dream result as Paul Nicholls' class-laden eight-year-old secured yet another Grade One success.
The recent Down Royal winner was brought into contention by Thomas straightening up for the final four fences on this occasion, and the 2-5 favourite went to play his hand at the following open ditch.
However, he hit the wing of the fence and was then ridden along to maintain his momentum having dropped back in the field.
The dual King George victor and winner of this race for the last two years gathered himself up though, and came with another challenge on front-running Tamarinbleu at the final fence.
He jumped upsides but stumbled on landing, depositing Thomas on the ground and extinguishing any hope of success.
Kauto Star's departure should have left David Pipe's Tamarinbleu clear but 33-1 outsider Snoopy Loopy stayed on best of all to deny him by a half length.
Nicholls said: "I was never really happy with him today and he was never really travelling. He was on the inside and not really happy, whereas at Down Royal he had a lot more room and was tanking along.
"He jumped into the wing at the third-last when Sam asked him for a big one. He still might have won — who knows?
"It was a muddling sort of race and he has got beat, but he was always going to get beat one day and Kempton on King George day is another race.
"He has had ups and down before and has bounced back and that is racing. They are racehorses and can't be at their very, very best every single day.
"Sam won the race on him last year and these things happen. He has got beat today but it is onwards and upwards and tomorrow is another day."