Captain Chris has Gold Cup on his radar

A TILT at the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup is the favoured option for Captain Chris, who won last season's running of the Racing Post Arkle.

The eight-year-old also has the option of running in the shorter Ryanair Chase, for which he is no bigger than 16-1, however his trainer Philip Hobbs is favouring taking on the likes of Long Run and Kauto Star in the Gold Cup instead.

"It is very likely he will go for the Gold Cup, possibly the Ryanair," Hobbs told At The Races. "We have considered all options, including going to Punchestown, but there is no two and a half mile race, just two miles or three miles."

Captain Chris is as big as 33-1 for the Gold Cup, having been pulled up in the Argento Chase last time, andHobbs continued: "Overall at Cheltenham he has had four runs, two wins, a second and a disaster last time. Although he has an inclination to go right it is not necessarily going to stop him winning. We want to give him a bit more time so he is not going to run before Cheltenham."

Hobbs is hoping that time spent with jumping guru Yogi Breisner will help both Captain Chris and Racing Post Arkle Chase hope Menorah put disappointing efforts last time behind them.   

Menorah has won two chase starts and failed to complete in his other two outings over fences and the trainer continued: "I don't know whether it is lack of concentration, 90 per cent of fences he jumps well but 90 per cent is not enough.

"The two horses he beat at Taunton are pretty good and Alan King's horse that he beat at Kempton [Kumbeshwar] is a decent horse and he beat him a long way so the form is good. If he can jump well he must have a very good chance [in the Arkle]."