Agree with the facts regarding Zarkandar, but I still have more than a niggling feeling that he's not fast enough. Yes he had a bad prep last year and is probably better now he's a year older but I don't like the way he was outpaced at a crucial stage of the race and personally think it will happen again.

It's a tough one and I wouldn't be surprised to get this one wrong but I'm not sure we've had any confirmation that he's a faster horse this season. If it turned out to be a testing race I'd totally change my opinion but on decent ground (good to soft or better) I do think he might get done for toe and charge up the hill too late.

Just think Grandouet may have the opposite problem in that he needs 1 mile 6 and a flat track to be at his best. To be honest, I'd be prepared to see an outsider win this race this season, there's not really been anything outstanding in the division for a few years.

I'm here.

He has won 5 times at 16 or 17f, which includes winnign an International as a 5y/o, and running a very good race in attrocious ground over 17f last time, and you two think he needs 14f on a flat track ?

Graeme, I did say "to be at his best" and you need everything in your favour to win a Champion Hurdle.

tomdeane are you for real please please please tell mewhat you saw in ireland last time out were bino just got upsides of t.f.stars when the fly was easing down 5 lenghs clear hard held ,that makes you think he can finish in front of the fly

Incidentally, his great finish last year, wasn't really all it seemed you know.

Cos Bino always needs a run and improves a lot next time out,that would be my answer to that anyway.

Duffy, I also agree with you about last year's finishing effort and I guess you have to base this year's chance on him being a different horse this year. The good news is that he's 5-1 so, if you're wrong, you have another 4 bets to break even.

as i have said before ap would not of got off Darlan to ride Bino and he would have to improve a hell of a lot to beat a horse that can also improve.still a big place lay for me

As we said earlier, doubts over all the main participants but good luck with your picks. Personally, I'll be delighted to see last year's winner repeat the feat.

joondalup,

As others have said, you couldn't see anything in the Irish performance to suggest Binocular could win the Champion. But I think most people knew that before the race even. He has improved hugely between his first and second runs in past seasons and is a much better horse on decent ground, and he seems to run very well at Cheltenham.

Am sounding like a broken record but just watch last year's race and be objective about it: on that running there is very little between him and Hurricane Fly (they would have been very close had Binocular not almost come down at the last and he spotted the Fly a couple of lengths throughout the race. Plus, Hendo says he came back lame).

As an interesting aside, he has been rubbished for winning a poor Champion Hurdle three years ago but the level of form is no weaker at all than that shown by Hurricane Fly when he won his renewal the following year. Binocular beat Khyber Kim by three and a half lengths when that one was an eight-year-old, coming into the race on the back of winning the Greatwood and then the International impressively. Last weekend, the 11-year-old version of that horse came back from almost two years on the sidelines to run Zarkandar within four and a half lengths. Admittedly he was getting 8lb but based on these formlines, and the knowledge of what a best-form Binocular can produce on any one day, the prices of 7/4 Hurricane Fly, 5/1 Zarkandar and 14/1 Binocular are simply wrong.

Binocular has the ability, if he has an excuse for his run last term then he shouldn't be 12/1 as he had quality form going into the race last year. No doubt talented, producing it is the thing he doesn't seem to consistently do.

Zarkandar being on the up is the in form horse that everyone should fear. Had to do donkey work all season, will relish getting a tow. Could keep finding for pressure.

Hurricane Fly the best since Istabraq, speed, stamina, strong traveler, slick hurdling, gutsy, gonna be very hard to beat if - as it seems - back to his best. But like all things, skinny prices are not so enticing.

Rock on Ruby doesn't look the same horse as last term, now having a racecourse gallop too. Think he's proving very hard to get "fit", Punjabi redux imo

Grandouet, missed prep, 1 run in 15 months, impossible to fancy off that kind of prep, too many problems. Never beat Zarkandar.

Countywide Flame 5yo and held on all known form

Cinders & Ashes, bar his Supreme win he is formless. Betting on him is more hope than anything.

None of the rest are up to winning this. Cotton Mill might be the pick of them.

I'm not too sure about the magical 2nd run of the season theory either, in the last 3 seasons he's been beat by go native, beaten overturn and scrambled home against ROR which with hindsight is ok but on the day certainly wasn't a CH winning performance.

If beating the winner and 2nd of the CH is not champion hurdle winning form than what is?

binocular the enigma ? has had has many bad runs as good ones cant see why that makes him value at 12/1. wud much rather have h/fly at 7/4 . i know its all about opinions and im wrong as much as the next man but im convinced it wasnt tatics/ground/track that beat the fly last year i just believe he wasnt right.The basis of this opinion was his beating of zaidpour at punchestown which was workmanlike to say the least.an on song fly would have cruised up and passed zaidpour without walsh having to row away.Bacically i agree with C Vs opinion. all will be revealed 2 week on tues !!!!

Bino was available at odds around 30 odd,what is he now?
Thats the point im making.
Also as i said above tony,his bad runs have NEVER come at Cheltenham in March.

yer could have traded out for a free bet Bally,was available at 38.

Last year he was given a poor ride,hashed the last,and still finished fairly close up 4th.
Could have been a lot closer.

Yes you can bung cinders and countrywide flame into the horses for courses, limited evidence I know, but good ground festival, they are two winners, ROR comes into it too on that basis, grandouet you can argue likes the track too along with zarkandar, HF is 50% there with an excuse for last years defeat, so you can make an arguement for the top 7 in the betting all to be cheltenham speciailists