RACING CHELTENHAM NEWS: RUBY WALSH will attempt to fill the one glaring gap in his big-race CV on board Hurricane Fly in tomorrow's Stan James Champion Hurdle and the Irishman's chances were boosted by yesterday's shock non-declaration of the reigning title-holder Binocular.

The JP McManus-owned star was taken out of the Champion Hurdle at the final declaration stage after trainer Nicky Henderson reported that medication taken for an allergy problem in the last fortnight hasn’t cleared the horse’s system.

After consulting with the British Horseracing Authority’s veterinary team it was decided Binocular would test positive in any post-race drugs test and so the horse was taken out of the race. The BHA emphasised yesterday there was no breach of the rules because Binocular hadn’t run and was being treated with a legitimate medication.

British racing’s governing body also said it would continue to assist in establishing when Binocular was negative and could run again.

Henderson will now be represented solely by Oscar Whiskey in tomorrow’s festival feature although bookmakers were split yesterday on replacing Binocular at the head of the betting with Ladbrokes putting Hurricane Fly at the head of the market while Paddy Power rate Menorah the most likely winner at 3 to 1.

Henderson explained: “Binocular had an allergy two weeks ago that did not respond to initial medication and, on veterinary advice, and well within normal parameters, he required a further treatment the following day.

“As we were getting close to the most important race of the year, and also because since that administration to Binocular, another horse had tested positive for the same substance, I thought it prudent to take a precautionary test which, not only surprisingly, let alone devastatingly, has also shown to be positive.”

The Lambourn trainer added: “We have therefore, reluctantly, had to take the BHA’s advice this morning that the only reasonable course in everybody’s interest is not to confirm the entry. We are all obviously shattered but I am particularly upset for JP who has been incredibly understanding.”

Last year there was controversy in the aftermath of Binocular’s Champion Hurdle victory as Henderson had reported him as not an intended runner in the run-up to the big race but didn’t take up the BHA’s invitation to take him out of the entries.

There was some punter dissatisfaction subsequently when Binocular did run and scored an impressive success over Khyber Kim.

The BHA rejected criticism yesterday that they hadn’t reported publicly Binocular was being tested for a substance and could miss the race.

“There was a lot of information to gather so the earliest we could have said anything was Friday afternoon. Secondly there was a genuine expectation that the levels of the substance would come down as testing went on but it didn’t,” reported a BHA spokesman.

“A key factor was the fact that every bookie was by then NRNB (non-runner, no-bet) on all Cheltenham races.”

The Champion Hurdle sponsors, and some other bookmakers, said yesterday they will refund all bets on Binocular.

Yesterday’s announcement is the latest brush Henderson has had with the drug rules. In 2009 he was banned from having runners for three months, and fined €46,000, over the use of an anti-bleeding substance on a horse owned by the Queen.

Last month the vet who administered that drug, James Main, was “struck off” after a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons hearing which decided he had behaved in a “disgraceful” professional manner.

A total of 11 runners have been declared for the Champion Hurdle including three Irish horses, headed by Willie Mullins’s Hurricane Fly.

Ireland’s champion trainer quashed speculation that Paul Townend would maintain his association with Hurricane Fly when confirming yesterday that Ruby Walsh will be on board tomorrow afternoon.

After Walsh rode his first winner back on Saturday after four months on the sidelines with a broken leg, Mullins said: “I’ve decided Ruby will ride Hurricane Fly. I ran it by the horse’s owners and spoke with Ruby and Paul who will now ride our other Champion Hurdle runner, Thousand Stars.

“Ruby is our number one rider and it is good he is fit and back in action and among the winners again.”

Dunguib is the other Irish Champion Hurdle hope and he is now as low as 8 to 1 to become the first Irish winner of the opening day festival feature since Sublimity in 2007.