A cracking race is in store for the John Smith's 250th Anniversary 4-y-o Hurdle at Aintree next Thursday.

The first and second from the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, Celestial Halo and Franchoek, as well as the runner-up from the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Binocular, all appear among a list of 20 entries.

However, the same predicament awaits owner JP McManus as to whether to run both Franchoek and Binocular in the same race.

Binocular's trainer Nicky Henderson would love a crack at the Triumph Hurdle winner, though.

"Binocular, I think and hope, will go to Aintree for the four-year-old hurdle," said Henderson.

"I don't know what Franchoek and Celestial Halo are going to do.

"He ran a smashing race in the Supreme, they were switched around for obvious reasons and it made total sense.

"As it turned out it didn't quite suit us in the end.

"He's got the pace for Aintree, he's come out of the race OK and if Celestial Halo goes there I would be very happy to take him on.

"I'm not saying we'd beat him, but I'd be very happy to take him on there," he told At The Races.

Other notable entries include Venetia Williams' unbeaten Dansimar, Gary Moore's Lupanar, Charlie Longsdon's Songe, fourth in the Triumph and Peter Bowen's Serabad, sixth at Cheltenham.

More news from SportingLife.com

Full racecards from SportingLife.com

Fast and full results from SportingLife.com