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Morebattle now likely Champion Hurdle prep race for Binocular

The extended period of cold weather is claiming victims by the day as meeting after meeting is called off due to the turf being frozen. At such a crucial stage of the jumps season, with the Cheltenham Festival looming large on the horizon, trainers are anxiously scouring the programme book to find prep races for their charges and Nicky Henderson now seems likely to send the high-class Binocular to Scotland in a bid to get a run into the horse before he attempts to regain his Stan James Champion Hurdle crown, writes Elliot Slater.

The 2010 champion hurdler was denied the opportunity to defend his title last year when laid low with a virus but has already shown this term that he remains a significant force to be reckoned with. For the last two seasons Henderson had sent JP McManus’ charge to Sandown where he twice won the Contenders Hurdle, but with this season’s renewal having being abandoned, options are becoming somewhat thin on the ground. Anyone looking at Victor Chandler racing needs to remember this.

Henderson has ruled out a trip to Gowran Park in Ireland where the ground would most likely be too soft for the son of Enrique, and is not keen to go to Wincanton for the Kingwell Hurdle where he intends to run another of his Champion Hurdle hopes Grandouet. People looking for a Bwin review need to bear this in mind.

So it is looking increasingly likely that Binocular will head up to the Scottish Borders to run in the prestigious Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso, after which (as long as all goes to plan), he will return to Cheltenham to attempt to lower the colours of the imperious 10/11 favourite and defending champion Hurricane Fly. Binocular, a brave winner of the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, is a top price 10/1 to spring a surprise.