With the Cheltenham Festival now just a matter of weeks away, the ante-post market for the Triumph Hurdle is beginning to take shape.
The past month has provided some crucial clues for the four-year-old contest, with key races on both sides of the Irish Seas helping refine the pecking order in a division that often throws up emerging talents.
Several leading fancies have strengthened their claims, leading punters and analysts alike to reassess the landscape ahead of the Festival’s premier juvenile hurdle.
Read on, as we examine how the recent performances have impacted the betting, highlight the horses making waves in the Cheltenham bets market, and assess where the value might still lie as the countdown to Prestbury Park intensifies.
Lulamba – 3/2
Lulamba shot up the ante-post market for the Triumph before even making his British racecourse debut, as rumours started circulating about the Nicky Henderson-trained horse’s ability on social media.
His eventual first start at Ascot in mid-January did prove, however, that there is no smoke without fire. The four-year-old was sent off as the 4/5 favourite and went on to score comfortably from Mondo Man to justify the hype.
Also, a winner on his only start over the smaller obstacles at Auteuil in France back in October, there’s no doubt about his potential. However, it’s still somewhat hard to justify such a short price from what we’ve seen.
East India Dock – 5/2
A seemingly better choice based on form, East India Dock has looked seriously impressive for James Owen so far this season.
A useful runner on the flat—placing in five of his 10 starts, including winning twice—the four-year-old has made a seamless switch to jumps since joining Owen from James Fanshawe in October.
A four-length win on his debut over timber was followed by an 18-length Grade 2 Triumph Trial win at the Cheltenham November Meeting, and he proved his class again when winning without hardly breaking a sweat on Trails Day back at Prestbury Park.
Hello Neighbour – 9/2
The Irish have won the last five renewals of the Triumph Hurdle, and Gavin Cromwell will be hoping that his charge can make that six on the bounce after a couple of impressive showings on home soil this season.
Hello Neighbour won a maiden on debut at Navan in September and a Rated Race at Roscommon before justifying notable market support in the Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle at the prestigious Leopardstown Christmas Festival.
The four-year-old made it four wins from as many outings under rules in a Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival and holds solid claims going into the Triumph based on that form.
Palladium – 16/1
Skipping over a couple of potential Willie Mullins-trained runners—Sainte Lucie and Lady Vega Allen—never tends to be a good idea when it comes to the Cheltenham Festival or the Triumph, given he’s won four of the last five editions. However, we want to give an honorary mention to Palladium.
The Henderson-trained horse smashed the record for the most expensive National Hunt horse when being bought for €1.4 million by Lady Bamford at a French sale and shipped to Seven Barrows.
Despite his eye-watering price tag, there was nothing glitz and glam about his lowkey debut in a maiden worth little more than just £4,000 at Huntingdon. Palladium delivered, though, winning by two lengths. But he still has more to prove up in grade.
