BINOCULAR, 5-2 favourite with the sponsors to successfully defend his title in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 15, figures among a 31-strong entry for the highlight of thefirst day of the festival.
The seven-year-old, who confirmed his wellbeing with a win in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Saturday, is one of five entries for trainer Nicky Henderson.
Henderson's entries also include the last two winners of the JCB Triumph Hurdle, Soldatino and Zaynar, French import Solix and Oscar Whisky, who finished fourth in last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle and made a winning return to action at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.
Strong opposition to Binocular comes from last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Menorah, who is unbeaten in three outings at Cheltenham. Donald McCain has two entries, the unbeaten Peddlers Cross and Christmas Hurdle runner-up Overturn.
Last year's Weatherbys Champion Bumper winner Cue Card has also been entered.
A strong Irish entry of seven is headed by the Willie Mullins-trained Hurricane Fly, a six-time Grade 1 winner. Dunguib, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper in 2009, also features but is yet to run this season.
Alan King tasted Champion Hurdle glory with Katchit in 2008 and he has three chances this time around with Mille Chief, Walkon and Salden Licht.
King said: "I think that the plan will be for Mille Chief to head to Wincanton for the Kingwell Hurdle on February 19. I had thought of returning to Sandown for the Contenders' Hurdle two weeks earlier but I wouldn't want to take Binocular on, so the Kingwell, which we won with Katchit in 2008, is the most likely option.
"Walkon will go to Haydock on Saturday for the stanjames.com Champion Hurdle Trial. It was always the target for him and he is going to need the run but we have to start him somewhere. He is a big, gross horse who is hard to get fit and he hasn't run for the best part of two years.
"He severed part of his tendon when he won at Aintree andmissed all of last season. It's great to get him back to a racecourse but he is going to be rusty.
"He's in the Champion Hurdle and the World Hurdle but we need to see where we are with him. It couldbe a case of just ducking and diving this season and going chasing with him next year.
"Salden Licht will head to Newbury for the Totesport Trophy. He's rated 152 now, which is not to far off Mille Chief, but he is a year older than Mille Chief and it always gets more difficult the older they get.
"He is still a very good horse and he won well at Exeter. I don't know whether he is up to Champion Hurdle standard but he is a decent horse and we will know more after Newbury."
BETTING:
Binocular 5/2
Hurricane Fly 5/1
Menorah 5/1
Peddlers Cross 11/2
Oscar Whisky 14/1
Dunguib 20/1
Mille Chief 20/1
Cue Card 25/1
Khyber Kim 25/1
Overturn 25/1
Silviniaco Conti 25/1
Soldatino 33/1
Solwhit 33/1
Walkon 40/1
Alaivan 50/1
Clerk's Choice 50/1
Get Me Out Of Here 50/1
Starluck 50/1
Thousand Stars 50/1
Zaynar 50/1
Cristal Bonus 50/1
Sublimity 50/1
Solix 50/1
Barizan 66/1
Celestial Halo 66/1
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