Menorah has Champion Hurdle agenda

PHILIP Hobbs can look forward to plotting a route back to Cheltenham for next year’s Champion Hurdle after Menorah’s battling qualities saw him take the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle under top weight yesterday.

Menorah emerged victorious from a mighty fight in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the last Festival, a performance which saw him saddled with 11st 12lb here, but he was given quite a scare by the joint bottom-weight Bothy, who only finished a neck behind.

Richard Johnson searched for the quickest ground at the rain-softened venue, tracking wide and looking on the verge of an impressive victory when cruising past Bothy at the second-last, but his rival came back after appearing beaten and very nearly upset the odds.