Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular will begin his season at Haydock later this month.

Nicky Henderson's charge is the general 6-1 market leader for the feature race on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival following an impressive victory over Triumph Hurdle hero Celestial Halo at Aintree in April.

He has been off the track since, but is all set for a return over timber in the Betfair Hurdle at Haydock on November 22.

Henderson told the Racing Post: "That hurdle is restricted to four-year-olds, and as the course will suit it is the ideal race to begin his second season.

"AP (McCoy) came to school him the other morning and he said he felt fantastic.

"He spent the summer at JP McManus' in Ireland and he came back looking in terrific shape.

"After Haydock I expect we'll be looking at races like the Boylesports.com International Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Stan James Christmas Hurdle."