Ascot racing: Saturday 20 December Live coverage: BBC One and BBC Sport website 1300-1500 GMT Main races: International 1340, Long Walk 1410 Ladbroke 1445 Further coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live
 Binocular was in the original International Hurdle field |
The International Hurdle, which was postponed when Cheltenham was waterlogged, will now be run at Ascot on Saturday and shown live on BBC One. It is one of three top hurdle contests on a seven-race card and could feature 2009 Champion Hurdle winner Katchit. Leon Blanche, spokesman for sponsors Boylesports, said: "This could be the greatest day's hurdling ever seen." The BGC Long Walk Hurdle will be run 30 minutes later than originally planned at 1410, with the Ladbroke at 1445. The BBC coverage will also include the return of 2005 Hennessy Gold Cup winner Trabolgan. Nicky Henderson runs his leading chaser for the first time since that Newbury win in the BGC Silver Cup (1305).  | 606: DEBATE |
The original nine-strong International field had included last season's Champion Hurdle winner Katchit and Binocular, the current ante-post favourite for next March's renewal. Katchit's trainer Alan King wanted the race would rescheduled to take place at Cheltenham on 1 January, but will aim the five-year-old at Ascot. "Obviously we would have preferred it to have been at Cheltenham as he loves the place, but I need to get a run into him and I'm quite happy to go to Ascot," he said. Binocular is likely to go off as favourite with Emma Lavelle's Crack Away Jack among other fancied runners.
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