menorahs arkle chance ?

Not me - i just do not think he jumps close to well enough to be even sighted in an Arkle, id be surprised if he got around

Hope im wrong tho

I remember a horse called Galas Image blundering his way around thru his novice season before springing a 25/1 upset in the Arkle in 1987...like Menorah, the horse had been classy over hurdles...not for me tho!

... and a certain Tidal Bay, whose jumping was pretty dodgy leading up to The Arkle.

Rimell horse as i recall,same owner as Gaye Brief i think

yep i remember tuichev whacking a few at sandown before cheltenham ,and he jumped well to win the arkle , this fella has got a decent chance and i am mulling over a saver on him or cue card ,also think that looking at his jumping he has been a bit deliberate but settling in off a strong pace could see him get into a good rythm and he has the class to outrun his odds ! and i think if it came down to a battle up the hill i would rather have him on side than cue card .

I'd be more hopeful if he had shown more in the **** Hurdle - just seems to have regressed a little.

No doubt if back to his best he has the engine to be competitive but then it comes back to the jumping and in a strong year, it will be important

I remember headbutting the wall when Klairon Davis, who had fallen and made mistakes in his prep races,  made a horrible blunder in the Arkle itself, he still came back past them to win it.  Moscow Flyer had a pretty good mix of 1s and Fs as I remember?

I find it quite funny that folk think menorah is a poor jumper just based on the fact he has hit a couple of fences late on in his last 2 races...didn't think he jumped to badly the last day at kempton, up until his mistake...he has only raced right handed so far over fences and hasn't really had any decent competition...and he is a hold up horse after all...

I have to say I have a small wager on him from earlier in the season but my main concern is how good or how much ability still remains after a few poor runs last year and this and the race is looking a hot Arkle...he would have to be at his very best to win. I haven't torn my ticket up just yet but am still not convinced by him ability wise, not because of his jumping as don't think it is that bad and stronger pace will suit more, so am only hopeful but only hopeful but certainly won't be going in again...

The other way I am looking at it, on a plus side, think he is just being lazy because of the fields he has being running against and the jockey has been easing up on him causing him to lose concentration and thus make the mistakes he has been making...

He isn't a forlorn hope however but tread carefully I would say...Starting to look a brutal betting race for me, so I'm elsewhere looking for different races to form an opinion on and some value, cause there certainly isn't any in the Arkle for me anyways...

entered on saturday for experience. I see so is sprinter sacre dont think they will both run.

personally think he may place but needs some experience hobbs says he will run twice more before the festival.

already backed al ferof and happy with him but no harm having another string to your bow at double figga odds ,a lot of horses jumping seems to improve come the festival ,but then again they are 100% spot on and fit as  fleas  so not a huge suprise that they perform much better  ,not rocket salad imo .

harry:- who said it was just because he's hit a couple of fences late on?

I've seen him on a very good stride a few times now (most notably the 3rd at Taunton) going into the fence he was perfect and looked as if he was going to ping it, but he ballooned it, hanging in the air, giving it 2 foot. 4th fence was very similar, hanging in the air.

He was slightly better at Kempton but still only jumped about half the fences correctly.

Gotta improve it massively I think.

There is no doubt, as we all know, he has an engine. The frenetic pace of the Arkle may just bring about a totally different horse. He has won and run well at previous festivals so you never know. If you go back exactly one year, you could hardly have called Captain Chris as the Arkle winner. This does look like an above average Arkle though. One mistake and he will have lost all chance. Not for me, but it would not be a "Nortons" surprise.

Agree Rhinestone he was deliberate over the first 4 at Taunton but that was his first start back...

And Novicey over a few at Kempton early on but also jumped well in parts...

Aww I don't know and am not convinced either, just by the horse and I've backed it...

Anyways like I say I backed it because thought he jumped well at Exeter when the pace was on but am not convinced now about his ability more than anything so don't hold out much hope I suppose, just trying to make a case for him, but thanks for keeping me honest Rhinestone I like that

I'd be concerned by how he hasn't looked the same horse as he did at the start of last season

Not sure how a quicker pace would help him. He looks far from fluent to me.  Doesn't make a nice shape either

A very hot year so he would have to be on song to figure

might find out a fair bit more on Sat,entered up against Sprinter.

Should get the fast pace he needs then

Agree Rhinestone he was deliberate over the first 4 at Taunton but that was his first start back...



was after Exeter

sprinter may not run other possible entries

harry

Hobbs also reports Menorah none the worse for his tumble at Doncaster on Saturday.

The Minehead handler is looking to get another race into him before the Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham in March.

"He's perfectly all right, as well. Obviously we need to get some schooling into him," Hobbs added.

"Hopefully we can find a race for him before we go to Cheltenham."

If he runs and is lying handy, I sincerely hope BG steers well clear.