Miller claims Menorah scalp Nicky Henderson's General Miller (7-1) wore down hot favourite Menorah to take the honours in the John Smith's Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree. The latter was sent off the 7-4 favourite to supplement his Supreme Novices' Hurdle success and all appeared to be going well when the Philip Hobbs inmate hit the front halfway up the straight. But General Miller - a first-flight casualty at Cheltenham - was on his tail jumping the final flight and eventually got the better of the market leader on the run-in to score by a neck. Henderson said: "It was just bad luck at Cheltenham. It's not how to open the Festival, unseating at the first. "It was bad luck and on Andrew (Tinkler). It was just one of those things. "He jumped really well today. 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."
