The Denman Chase victor alongside Lulamba Present Strong Cases for Cheltenham with Newbury Victories
It did not possess the sheer relentlessness of the recent Dublin Racing Festival, the final day of key preparatory races still provided further cause for hope that the Irish will not have a complete monopoly next month.
Gold Cup Contender Steps Forward
Haiti Couleurs, the latest British-trained contender at single-figure odds, bolsters the ranks for the Cheltenham showpiece on March 13th. He stands alongside fellow contenders including The Jukebox Man and Jango Baie.
In other news, the unbeaten youngster Lulamba is now the near-certain favourite for the novice championship after maintaining his unblemished form over fences in the Game Spirit Chase.
A Handicap Star Wins with Ease
Perhaps the most striking performance was delivered by Tutti Quanti, who took the day's big handicap apart under top weight. This performance suggested a real player for championship honours may have emerged almost from nowhere.
“He is simply a big, backward horses who has been physically improving and progressing all the time,” said his trainer. “I still think there is more to come from him. He's annihilated them.”
The front-running Tutti Quanti was clearly travelling much stronger than the competition entering the straight and he shrugged off both his weight and the testing conditions. He extended his lead right up to the line, finishing a remarkable 15 lengths clear.
Flawed but Effective Victories
Neither Haiti Couleurs nor Lulamba as flawless in victory. The Welsh Grand National winner jumped cautiously to several fences, while Lulamba’s inexperience showed mid-race before he picked up the leaders. However, both did no more than necessary in tough conditions, when it would have been easy to jeopardize their festival prospects.
The 2018 winner was the last British-trained winner of sport's biggest chase. Haiti Couleurs, though, heads to the festival with a decent chance to end those droughts and add a landmark win for pilot Sean Bowen.
Jockey’s Ambition
The jockey is the reigning champion and is so far clear in the standings that retirement now would still leave him as the likely champion. For all his winners, he has yet to enjoy still eludes him.
“He will be a horse that three-miles-two around Cheltenham and then up the hill is ideal,” Bowen said. “If he has the class in the closing stages is uncertain, but he will certainly be in contention entering the home straight.”
Odds Update
After his victory, Lulamba saw his odds shorten to around 11-8 for the Arkle Trophy. Elsewhere, a rival contender is now around 10-1 for the same race following an easy win at Warwick.
With Newcastle’s National Hunt card abandoned, the only action in the UK shifts to the synthetic surface at Chelmsford.