 Menorah pictured winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle |
Menorah stamped his Champion Hurdle credentials with an impressive victory under top weight in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham. Meanwhile, Irish hope Solwhit (11-10f) affirmed his own claims when beating Voler La Vedette at Punchestown. Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Menorah (6-1), ridden by Richard Johnson and trained by Philip Hobbs, stayed on up the hill to deny Bothy by a neck. The winner is now as low as 8-1 for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March. Menorah carried 11st 12lb to victory, some 24lb more than the runner-up Bothy, trained by Brian Ellison. Manyriverstocross was third with Any Given Day in fourth.  | 606: DEBATE |
Hobbs won the Champion Hurdle in 2003 with Rooster Booster, and Johnson said Menorah was "not too far behind" that galloping grey. "I'm very impressed. With top weight today on that ground I thought it would be hard for him," said Johnson. "To be fair to him, he stumbled at the back of the last. If he hadn't done that I think he would have won a bit easier. "It's just fantastic to have a horse like this for the future. "He's very good, he was last year, and hopefully we have found the key to him now." Hobbs said: "He's only five and there should be a fair bit of improvement in him, hopefully he can be up there with my two previous winners of this race, Rooster Booster and Detroit City. "I suppose the old Bula Hurdle back here might be next, but he'd have a large penalty in that. Otherwise he'd go for the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. It will be one or the other." Solwhit is another with claims for the big race in March, in which he was well beaten in sixth behind Bincolular this year after fears about his well-being beforehand. The six year-old saw off Donnas Palm at Punchetsown and never loked likely to be caught despite the mare Voler La Vedette running on for second. However, Byrnes said the Cheltenham Festival was not necessarily at the forefront of his mind. "We'll look at the Hatton's Grace [Fairyhouse, 28 November] now. I didn't use to like running him again too soon but he's got so relaxed at home that he's taking nothing out of himself," said the trainer. "We took him away for a few gallops before today but he didn't exert himself too much. "We will not be targeting him specifically at Cheltenham, and will go for all the Grade Ones like Leopardstown at Christmas and the Irish Champion back there."
Greatwood Handicap Hurdle Cheltenham
1 Menorah (R Johnson) 6-1
2 Bothy (D Cook) 16-1
3 Manyriverstocross (W Hutchinson) 11-2 Fav
4 Any Given Day 11-1
Dist: Neck, 5l, ¾l. 17 ran Dobbins & Madigans At Punchestown Hurdle Punchestown
1 Solwhit (D Russell) 11-10 fav
2 Voler La Vedette 5-2 (P Townsend).
Dist: 2½, 1½. 4 ran
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