McCoy ‘gutted’ by Binocular withdrawal

TONY McCOY believes Binocular’s withdrawal from today’s Stan James Champion Hurdle has “taken the gloss off” this year’s renewal.

The defending champion was declared a non-runner on Sunday after it emerged an allergy medication had failed to clear his system in time to run at Cheltenham.

Trainer Nicky Henderson was left with little choice but to take out his stable star and McCoy, who will not have a ride in the race now, described himself as “gutted”.