Binocular team wait on weather

Connections of Binocular have yet to make any firm plans regarding his seasonal reappearance.

Results have been mixed for the seven-year-old since his brilliant victory in the 2010 Champion Hurdle and he missed last season’s Cheltenham Festival with a late setback.

He signed off the campaign with a respectable third behind the brilliant Hurricane Fly at Punchestown and will soon be back in action.

Frank Berry, racing manager to owner JP McManus, said: “He’s back in work and in good form, but there are no definite plans.

“We’ll see what happens in another week and hopefully we’ll get a bit of rain, then we can start talking about what we’re going to do.”

Another exciting recruit for the McManus team to look forward to this season is Dermot Weld’s Waaheb.

The powerhouse owner stepped in to purchase the four-year-old after he won his first three starts and he was narrowly beaten on his first start in the green and gold silks in the Grade One bumper at the Punchestown Festival.

“He’s been back in a few weeks and I’ve no idea where he’ll run, but he might be ready in six weeks or so,” Berry added.

“We’ll see how he gets on over hurdles but if he takes to it, we’d be hoping for the best.”