Henderson stars to clash at Aintree Aintree racegoers have a new first-day highlight to look forward to after Nicky Henderson confirmed both Grandouet and Binocular on course for the two-and-a-half-mile Liverpool Hurdle. The John Smith's-sponsored Grade One contest has been moved to the opening day of the meeting for the first time this year, but promises to be a cracker with the Henderson pair set to tackle Champion Hurdle third Countywide Flame and fourth Zarkandar, as well as Neptune Novices' Hurdle winner The New One. Grandouet is reported none the worse for his latest fall in the Champion Hurdle, with Henderson unsure as to how the horse would have fared had he remained on his feet at the fourth-last flight. "He was travelling like a very good horse, but nobody will know - it was too far out," the trainer told Channel 4 Racing. "But you got the feeling that he was at there waiting to do something exciting. "The tragedy is that you have to think Darlan would have been right there [in the Champion Hurdle finish] but you can't look back, you have to look forwards. "What we want to find out is whether he [Grandouet] is a genuine Champion Hurdle horse, whether he might be able to beat Hurricane Fly, or whether we want to go novice chasing next season. You could question his stamina [for two and a half miles] but he keeps coming up the hill at Cheltenham all right. And I think Binocular will come into that two-and-a-half-mile category too. "It's brewing up to be a seriously good race. "My Tent Or Yours will certainly go to Aintree too [for the John Smith's Top Novices' Hurdle the following day ]. That is what they call a no-brainer as he isn't short on speed."
