Henderson eager to seize Aintree advantage with Lulamba

Nicky Henderson’s “pretty wacky idea” sees Lulamba step up in trip for the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, as the Triumph Hurdle runner-up attempts to regain the winning thread at Aintree.

The four-year-old made the perfect start to life at Seven Barrows when an impressive winner at Ascot in January and having not been disgraced when beaten a neck at the Cheltenham Festival, will now receive plenty of weight from his elders in a race Henderson has won with top-notchers Simonsing and Spirit Son previously.

“We just felt the nature of the race (4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle) on Thursday, I don’t need to tell anybody that Aintree is a completely different track, it’s very much a speedier track than Cheltenham,” said Henderson.

“Then you throw in that 10lb allowance, which I have to admit at this time of year is mighty generous, when I looked at it, I felt it just seemed to make sense.

“It was a pretty wacky idea to start with, but it appeared it was actually the sensible thing to do.”

Gordon Elliott has won the last three renewals and this year will rely on the hat-trick-seeking Honesty Policy, although the pick of the Irish challenge could well be Henry de Bromhead’s Koktail Divin, a taking winner at Leopardstown last month.

De Bromhead said: “He’s a nice horse and we’ll find out more about him.

“After his disappointing run at Fairyhouse (when third behind Kawaboomga and William Munny) we were leaning towards skipping Cheltenham with him, but he won well last time and we hope he will run well.”

Horaces Pearl edged out stablemate Tripoli Flyer on this day last year in a bumper which has since proven to be a red-hot piece of form.

Fergal O’Brien’s seven-year-old is since unbeaten over hurdles and now takes a step up in grade in what promises to be a huge opportunity for a key member of the Ravenswell Farm team, Connor Brace.

“He looks great and Connor Brace has done a lot of work with him. He schooled him on Tuesday and was very happy with him, so we’re looking forward to Saturday,” said O’Brien. “It’s a great opportunity for Connor, who gets on very well with the horse.

“I wouldn’t say it was always the plan to skip Cheltenham with him, that’s just how it worked out really. He won well at Newbury, it takes him a little bit of time to get over his races and this was the obvious place to come having won here last year.”

Stuart Edmunds’ Miami Magic is another with smart course form having finished second to Potters Charm in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle in December before filling the same spot behind the aforementioned Tripoli Flyer in Kempton’s Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle.

Meanwhile, Olly Murphy’s Fingle Bridge has been saved for this since downing Regent’s Stroll in an Exeter Listed event in February.

Murphy said: “He wants it soft ideally, but as long as it is safe and on the slow side he’ll be running. We’ve always thought the world of him, but he’s fragile. He has a hell of a lot of ability and he’s going there fresh.”

Regent’s Stroll has franked the form by bouncing back to his best at Wincanton, with Paul Nicholls looking forward to one last run over hurdles before chasing beckons next season.

“This will probably be his last run over hurdles before he goes chasing and it will gain him some valuable experience at this level,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“He won well the last day at Wincanton and he’s gaining experience with every run. I don’t think you’ll see the best of him until he goes chasing next season, but we’re hopeful of a good run.”