Saturday's Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham has attracted 11 high-class entries, headed by Champion Hurdle favourite Binocular.

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.

"I've just had a look at the race and he's one of 11, so we'll have a look and see," said Lavelle.

"But he came out of his last race in such good order that I'd be keen to run him.

"I suppose desperate ground is the only thing that might stop me running him.

"Looking at the entries it is a very, very good heat but I'm keen to run him in it and we'll see if he's still improving.

"The 'Fighting Fifth' told us nothing we didn't already know – Punjabi and Sublimity were always going to be the two to take out of it but they did nothing spectacular.

"They went so slow early on so it has very little bearing on what will happen in March. They are two nice horses but I don't think it made the picture any clearer.

"It still looks pretty open as far as I'm concerned and we'll see what Binocular is made of this week."

There is a strong Irish contingent with Harchibald, River Liane, Solwhit and Won In The Dark completing the field.

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."