Steve Gollings accepts Local Hero "has a mountain to climb" against Binocular in the Betfred "Double Delight" Contenders Hurdle at Sandown.
The Lincolnshire handler plans to run the five-year-old, who has not been sighted since finishing down the field in the 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in April, at the Esher track if it beats the current cold-snap.
Gollings said: "It will be his first spin of the year, so he'll obviously come on for the run, but competing over a stiff two miles will tell us a lot about him.
"I'd like to run him over further in time, but this looks a good opportunity to get the ball rolling.
"He's got a mountain to climb against Binocular, but this is probably a decent starting point."
