McCoy pleased with Binocular

Tony McCoy was left beaming from ear to ear after a schooling session with Binocular this morning.

The perennial champion jockey was at Nicky Henderson’s Seven Barrows stable in Lambourn putting the 2010 champion hurdler through his paces before his run at Aintree next week.

Henderson is stepping JP McManus’ pride and joy up to two and a half miles for the first time after he was forced to miss the defence of his Cheltenham crown at the 11th hour.

By running in the John Smith’s Aintree Hurdle it sets up a mouth-watering clash with gallant Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross.

“Binocular is in terrifically good form and Aintree is the plan,” said Henderson. “AP (McCoy) came down and schooled him over a couple of hurdles this morning and he had a big smile on his face afterwards, so it’s all going well.”