General rules supreme over Menorah

Punters keeping faith with Cheltenham form suffered another reverse as Menorah became the fifth Festival winner to be turned over at Aintree with General Miller landing the John Smith’s Top Novices’ Hurdle.

The layers enjoyed a mega day on Thursday with the likes of Gold Cup winner Imperial Commander tasting defeat, and General Miller continued the trend.

Nicky Henderson’s five-year-old unseated Andrew Tinkler at the first flight in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last month, with Menorah going on to a glorious success.

And Philip Hobbs’ 7-4 favourite looked like following up under Richard Johnson when kicking on at the third-last flight of the opener on day two of the Grand National meeting.

He was poised for a cosy triumph only for General Miller to come out of the pack and pose a serious question under Barry Geraghty.

The pair did battle in the warm spring sunshine on the run for the line, with General Miller wearing the favourite down in the shadow of the post for a neck success.

General Miller’s win gives Henderson a further arrow to fire in the 2011 Champion Hurdle with this year’s winner Binocular, Zaynar, Punjabi and Soldatino already in the frame.

Coral gave the five-year-old a 20-1 quote for the race while easing Menorah out to 14-1 behind the 3-1 market leader Binocular.

Henderson said: “He had no race at Cheltenham.

“Jumping has been the issue all season and we tried to freshen him up for this.

“He had to jump better today and he has. It hasn’t been his strongest suit all the winter.

“We’ve done a lot of work with him. We sent him over to Marcus Foley’s, who used to ride for me, to do some loose schooling and he jumped really slickly and that’s what you have to do in these races.

“He doesn’t look the most natural of chasers by any means. I’m not tempted to send him chasing next season as he’s not the biggest in the world.”

Geraghty added: “When we squared up with Menorah to take the third-last, I thought I had enough horse under me to beat him but I was just a little slow at the second-last. I was running at him going to the last, though.

“I always felt I was going to get there. Menorah picked up well in the straight but he had a hard race at Cheltenham and mine went at the first.”

Menorah pulled 11 lengths clear of the remainder and his attentions will now be geared to the Champion Hurdle.

His trainer Philip Hobbs said: “I was delighted with him. From the way he had been at home I thought he would run well but of course after Cheltenham you are never sure until they have come and done it.

“I think the winner is a very good horse and they came away from the rest.

“I think that will probably be it for the season, he has won at Cheltenham and run another good race here.

“We had thought about chasing but I think we may have a go at the Champion Hurdle next season.”

Eleven lengths adrift in third was Inventor and Ginger McCain, father of trainer Donald, said: “He’s a nice sort of a horse and his owners got him off the sponsors of our yard.

“It was a good race today and he’s done it well and for my money he is a horse who will jump a fence.”