Binocular under the microscope at Cheltenham

All eyes will this afternoon be on Tony McCoy and red-hot favourite Binocular when the tapes go up for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

In the run-up to today’s race, there have been comparisons between this five-year-old and brilliant three-time winner Istabraq, who also sported the same gold and green silks of powerhouse owner JP McManus.