Lulamba takes final Grade 1 of Irish jumps season The final Grade 1 contest of the 2024/25 Irish National Hunt season went for export, as the Nicky Henderson trained Lulamba reversed Triumph Hurdle form with Cheltenham conqueror Poniros to win the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle. Considered unlucky in some quarters when narrowly denied at the festival in March, the Henderson trained four-year-old was supported into 11/10f to overturn that form with the Mullins runner, Poniros. Tracking the leader Sony Bill in the initial stages, Lulamba disputed three out. A less than fluent leap saw him briefly surrender the lead. Paul Townend made his move to closer right up on the two leaders jumping the second last. However, James Bowen covered that move on Lulamba, regaining the lead entering the straight. The two market principals settled down to battle it out on the run to the last. The visitor had already looked to be getting the better of that dual before a better jump at the final flight sealed the win. James Bowen said: "He stays very well and he showed that today. I wanted to be pressing on when they slowed it up and I was able to fill him up all the way up the hill. I wasn't really doing much. "Paul(Townend on Poniros) joined me on my inside which I wasn't too worried about and he's stayed all the way from turning in. "He wouldn't be the quickest horse in the world but he's got a high cruising speed and he's probably be one for a bit further next year. He's well able for this trip at the minute. "He jumping was good all the way around. I got in underneath three out a little bit but I dropped the revs on him a little bit there. I got to the front but I didn't want to be doing too much from there to turning in. He was just filling himself there and he's kicked off the bend." Nicky Henderson added: “These are big days, it’s been a big week and a great week for the Donnelly family. Two winners like that is pretty special. “We tried to get in the way yesterday, it was a bitter pill, but well done them. Now we’ve done it together. “This is a fantastic place, we love it. This is a proper horse for another day. He deserves it as much as everybody. “I wouldn’t say he was unlucky not to win in Cheltenham, he couldn’t do anything about it at the time and we got a bit of revenge there. “He’s a lovely horse for the future, you wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t come back over fences next year. I don’t know, it’s early days and it’s only the fourth race of his life. “He’s a big baby to be doing juvenile hurdles against Flat horses so fair credit to him.” Paddy Power went 6/1 about Lulamba for the Arkle Chase. Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
