Lulamba features in entries for Supreme Novices’ Hurdle

Entries for the Cheltenham Festival novice hurdles and chases were released on Tuesday, with JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Lulamba also given the option of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

Nicky Henderson’s juvenile shot to prominence two weeks ago, when his price collapsed ahead of an anticipated stable debut at Kempton Park.

That meeting was abandoned but he appeared at Ascot on Saturday and was a hugely impressive winner, although those who forced him into as short as 11-8 favourite for the Triumph may now have a few sleepless nights.

A lot may ride on how Henderson’s new German recruit Palladium gets on at Huntingdon on Thursday. He is now owned by Lady Bamford, who sponsors the Triumph through her family company, JCB.

Adding further complication is the current favourite for the Supreme, Willie Mullins’ Salvator Mundi, is, like Lulamba, owned by Joe and Marie Donnelly. Mullins has 22 of the 64 entries in the Supreme.

Dan Skelton’s The New Lion, now owned by JP McManus, holds entries in the Supreme and the Turners Novices’ Hurdle, as does Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Potters Charm. There are 79 entered in the Turners.

Mullins’ Final Demand has been given the option of all three novice hurdles and is one of 63 in the Albert Bartlett along with Gordon Elliott’s The Yellow Clay, the current ante-post favourite.

There are 54 entries for the Triumph, including East India Dock and Hello Neighbour.

Sir Gino, trained by Henderson and owned by the Donnellys, is one of just 25 entries in the My Pension Expert Arkle, just one more than 12 months ago and despite the axing of what was the Turners Novices’ Chase, the Brown Advisory has attracted six less than last year with 32.

They include the Mullins trio of Ballyburn, Dancing City and Impaire Et Passe. Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man, also in the Arkle, is Mullins’ chief rival at this stage.