3.45 Wincanton
Bathwick Tyres Kingwell Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1) (4YO plus)
Winner £34,170
Advice: 2 pts win Binocular (10/11 general)
Binocular: 2010 Champion Hurdle winner who didn’t quite
reach that level last season at major spring festivals; Typical profile this
season, needing the run too badly to be competitive behind Overturn on his
seasonal debut (well ahead of Celestial Halo); Gutsy as he’s ever been when
fighting to get the better of Rock On Ruby in Chritstmas Hurdle and if able to run
to that standard today, sets a high bar on form. 
Celestial Halo: Rejuvenated to win last 4 starts outside
Grade 1 company, landing excellent double with gutsy win in Champion Hurdle
trial here to follow up handicap hurdle win in mark off the 160’s; The main
threat to Binocular on form and will be right there if favourite’s below par. 
Nearby: Near top class over hurdles, winning Grade 2
handicap with plenty in hand and then coming back to finish close third in
County Hurdle; Not achieved anything close to that form over fences, as he’s
yet to win a race and now too high in handicap for this kind of event. 
Lucaindubai: Took advantage of handy mark to follow up
promising effort at Sandown when winning well at Kempton, but this is far far
harder and easily passed over. 
Starluck: Very useful over hurdles (a close second to
Peddlers Cross in the Fighting Fifth just 5 runs ago) but well behind Binocular
when push came to shove over hurdles and
not been seen for a year, so has a lot on his plate here.
VERDICT: A small but fairly select field for this event.
BINOCULAR may not seem the horse of old this season but he’s beaten Celestial
Halo the last 4 times they've met and can take this on the way to another tilt
at the Champion.
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