Tweet

racing news /

By Dylan Jenear ValueChecker

Binocular Sights Set on Fighting Fifth Return
24/11/10

Last season’s brilliant Champion Hurdle winner Binocular is set to make his return to action in the Stan James-sponsored Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle on Saturday.

Binocular
© racing-images.co.uk

Nicky Henderson’s charge was imperious at Cheltenham in March, travelling supremely well before hitting the front two out, and was never in danger thereafter, running on strongly to beat Khyber Kim, who franked the form in no uncertain terms when landing the Aintree Hurdle a month later, by 3½ lengths.

Binocular is clear market leader to retain his crown next spring, but is he a betting proposition given that he is odds-on for Saturday’s Grade 1 contest? Seven of the last 10 winners of the Fighting Fifth have been favourites, which is a positive for the six-year-old’s supporters. But, on the flipside, he was a disappointing fifth when sent off at 4-5 for this race last year.

It could be that he merely misfired at Gosforth Park last November, but it’s worth remembering that he was turned over in his first two starts during the 2009/10 campaign and, chances are, he won’t be at his best this weekend either, with Henderson likely to train him with a repeat Champion Hurdle victory as the main objective.

Peddlers Cross
© Grossick Racing Photography

Furthermore, he’s up against one of last season’s leading novices in Peddlers Cross and the smart Starluck. The former, winner of his sole point and bumper, is also unbeaten in four starts over hurdles. The Donald McCain-trained gelding quickly established himself as a class act last term, following up his facile hurdling debut success at Bangor with three wins in graded races, the highlight of which was his 1½-length beating of Reve De Sivola in the Neptune Investments Management Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

While that victory, and his subsequent win at Aintree, was gained over further, he did not look short of pace when landing his first two starts over similar trips to that over which he will be racing on Saturday, plus the prospect of pretty testing conditions will place added emphasis on stamina at Newcastle. All in all, the prospects of Peddlars Cross upsetting Binocular are pretty good.

Starluck was beaten 12 lengths into fifth place Binocular in the Champion Hurdle. However, he was a place ahead of that rival when short-headed by Go Native in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day, and he is a horse that goes well fresh. The strong-travelling five-year-old will be a live danger.

Sublimity is, it’s fair to say, not the force of old, so most interesting of the remaining entries is Philip Hobbs’ Nearby. The son of King’s Best was no more than a decent handicapper last season, but he has looked a different horse since returning in October, landing handicaps at Bangor and Aintree before making a seamless transition to graded company when proving six lengths too strong for Tito Bustillo in the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton earlier this month.

Given that he will have an advantage in terms of race-fitness over his rivals, Nearby shouldn’t be underestimated. However, he has been racing on better ground than that which he will encounter this weekend, while I can’t help feeling that Peddlers Cross is something a bit special, so I’ll be sticking with the Oscar gelding in what is an intriguing race.

Recommendation: Peddlers Cross