Lulamba and East India Dock confirmed for Triumph clash

Lulamba and East India Dock headline 23 contenders for Friday’s JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Nicky Henderson-trained Lulamba won on his only start in France in November before joining the Seven Barrows team and making a victorious British bow at Ascot in January.

In contrast, East India Dock won two of his 10 Flat runs for James Fanshawe before transferring to James Owen for a Jumps campaign, emerging triumphant in each of his three runs, including two trial events for this race at Cheltenham.

The home-trained pair head the betting ahead of Gavin Cromwell’s Hello Neighbour, who struck Grade One gold at the Dublin Racing Festival last month ahead of the reopposing Galileo Dame and Lady Allen Vega.

Lulamba’s stablemate Palladium, a German Derby winner who cost €1.4million and won his British debut, is another key name.

Final Demand and The Yellow Clay, who represent Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott respectively, are among 26 still in the mix for the Grade One Albert Barlett Novices’ Hurdle while last year’s first and second Limerick Lace and Dinoblue are again possibles to line up in the Paddy Power Mares’ Chase.

Ante-post favourite Kopeck De Mee is one of 38 still in the William Hill County Hurdle and is he is also one of 47 going forward in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

Angels Dawn heads the market for the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase, in which the 26 contenders include last year’s second Its On The Line, Paul Nicholls’ Shearer and Lift Me Up, who is owned by Christian and Geri Horner.