Binocular Racehorse Profile
The Champion Hurdle is the main race on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival. The race is run just over two miles and is open for any hurdler to take part in. A prize purse of just under ï¿¡400,000 is available, which ensures an intense race.
The favourite for the Champion Hurdle this year is seven-year-old Binocular from France. This Bay Gelding is owned by JP McManus and is trained by Nicky Henderson. The horse was bred from Enrique and Bleu Ciel Et Blanc (both France).
Binocular is a current best price of 3/1 thanks to three first place finishes, two third place finishes and a fifth place finish from the last six races. The horse has a career win rate of 61.54 per cent over a total of 13 races between July 2007 and the present day.
Binocular's background
Binocular’s debut came over 10 furlongs in the summer of 2007 at Chantilly. The horse finished second in a field of four and was only beaten by three quarters of a length. Henderson quickly realised the horse was destined for longer runs and shortly acquired the horse after this race.
Two wins followed early in 2009 over 16 furlongs at Ascot and Kempton. The jockeys were different on both occasions but it was clear that Henderson was training the horse for this mid-distance type of race. Binocular’s early style was to chase in the leading pack of horses before making a move inside the final two furlongs.
Tony McCoy’s first ride on the horse came in March 2008 where Binocular finished second in a field of 22. However, three back-to-back wins followed as the horse grew stronger and slowly gained in weight.
It was under McCoy where Binocular developed the racing style the horse is now famous for. The horse has ample pace and McCoy just toys behind the leaders before pushing on towards the end when the stamina of the rest of the field is faltering.
Binocular’s last race came early in January 2011 at Kempton in a small field of six over good to soft ground. The racing style was exactly the same as McCoy pushed the horse to a four length victory.
This Bay does not have any planned entries in the near future with Cheltenham next on the agenda. This means Henderson and McCoy can work together to ensure the horse is in perfect condition for a final furlong assault during the .
The main strength of this horse is attitude. In nearly every report of a race that this horse has ever ran in has said the jockey has had to battle against the eagerness that Binocular shows. This means the horse will give the jockey everything in terms of commitment and desire.
It’s difficult to find a weakness but a poor start could spoil McCoy’s chances of riding the winner in the Champion Hurdle. The best chance of a win for Binocular will come if the horse is tracking the leaders and not in the middle of the pack.
Binocular At Cheltenham 2011
Horse racing at the Cheltenham festival has become a national institution and is the opportunity for all top trainers to pit their best horses against one-another. Online Betting sites have been quick to offer their customers a complete service with many betting opportunities that are unique to them. They also offer lots of guidance in the form of tips, inside info, gossip and news items about the trainers and horses to help you make your decisions.
Binocular’s trainer, Nicky Henderson has had thirty one Cheltenham Festival winners, including three Champion Hurdles, as well as a host of prizes from elsewhere making a total of more than one thousand winners in his career. He first realised the potential of Binocular after the horse’s spectacular triumph in the Grade One, John Smith’s 250th Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices´ Hurdle at Aintree at the end of last season. He was full of praise for the horse when he declared ‘The day we realised he was very good at Aintree, McCoy just sat on the other horse's tail and we knew he had another gear.