Strong Irish challenge for Boylesports International There is a strong Irish contingent for Saturday's Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham which has attracted 11 high-class entries. Harchibald, River Liane, Solwhit and Won In The Dark could travel for the 2m1f hurdle. Thomas Cooper is leaning towards letting the unexposed River Liane chance his arm on Saturday. Cooper's chestnut is high up in the betting for The Ladbroke at Ascot later in the month but the trainer expects he will be too high in the weights to tackle that particular contest. River Liane became a springer in the market for the Fred Winter at Cheltenham last March but could only finish 12th behind Crack Away Jack. Found to have burst a blood vessel that day, he returned at Naas last month to convincingly beat Beau Michael in the Fishery Lane Hurdle. "The weights for The Ladbroke are not out until later in the week, but I entered him for a handicap in Ireland recently and they had him rated at 145," said Tralee-based Cooper. "Even though that would be the ideal race, for a four-year-old, that would be too high and I'd say we'll look towards the Boylesports race instead. "That will be the ultimate test for him." Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular looks the one to beat and Nicky Henderson's four-year-old will face the sternest test of his career as he steps into open company for the first time. Binocular's stablemate, seven-year-old mare Chomba Womba, is also a possible after her victories in the Elite Hurdle and the Ascot Hurdle. Behind her in the former race at Wincanton was current champion hurdler Katchit, who will be much better off on Saturday in his bid to go one better than 12 months ago when beaten by Osana. As expected, David Pipe's Osana misses the race this year as the trainer wanted to give him more time. Khyber Kim is engaged for Nigel Twiston-Davies, as is Peter Bowen's impressive Aintree winner Serabad. Paul Nicholls' Triumph Hurdle scorer Celestial Halo also represents the four-year-old division along with Emma Lavelle's Crack Away Jack.
