Ross Millar: my doubts for Lulamba plus Monday tips

A tremendous effort by the ground staff at both Newbury and Warwick ensured we had plenty of intriguing Jumps action this weekend. 

At Newbury, Haiti Couleurs handled the testing ground when making all the running to win the Denman Chase under usual partner Sean Bowen. 

His jumping wasn’t always perfect through the early stages, with Bowen suggesting this was down to being alone out in front, but his best leaps came when needed in the latter stages of the race and he galloped powerfully to the line to draw away from L’Homme Presse who finished runner-up for the third time this season. 

This performance from Rebecca Curtis’s stable star will have laid to bed the memory of his first step into graded company when he failed to fire in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. 

All roads now lead to the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup and while Fact To File looked devastatingly impressive at the DRF last week, it would be foolish to rule out this stamina saturated outsider on a course that we know he thrives at. I tipped him earlier this season and remain confident of a bold showing next month. 

Lulamba was another to have his Cheltenham preparation race at Newbury. 

Nicky Henderson opted for the Game Spirit Chase against his elders for the five-year-old novice in preference to the Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick. 

As has been the case on each of his previous two starts, his jumping through the early stages could only be described as passable but true to type he warmed into his task through the race and his proven stamina, on a day where the ground became increasingly hard work, saw him home in front without having to dip into the red. 

It was a solid performance and Henderson was keen to draw focus to the fact that he will have learnt plenty against seasoned rivals. 

However, despite being a huge fan of this gorgeous horse I’m convinced he’s not a two-miler and this performance hardens the opinion that granted spring ground he could be found out in the early stages of an Arkle run on the altogether sharper Old Course, not withstanding the fact that Henderson won the Arkle last year with a horse that lacked the necessary early speed. 

The feature handicap of the day, The William Hill Hurdle, was turned into a procession by Harry Cobden on the Paul Nicholls-trained Tutti Quanti, a talented horse who has improved with every run this term and simply handled conditions far more adeptly than any of his rivals despite having to shoulder top-weight. 

It was a performance that excites me for next season when he will surely be sent over fences, but surely his trainer’s suggestion that he could be supplemented for the Unibet Champion Hurdle will be reconsidered once the excitement of a big televised Saturday winner has subsided. 

Tutti Quanti won this off a mark of 138 and while I fully expect him to be raised in the region of 14lb for this romp he still has a tremendous amount to find to be competitive in a Champion Hurdle. Heavy conditions would help but I still think it’s a stretch. 

The Kingmaker Novices’ Chase at Warwick was billed as a match between unbeaten chasers Steel Ally and Mambonumberfive, with connections of the latter bullish during the build-up. 

On the day it was Steel Ally who preserved his 100 per cent record. Settling well in behind the strong travelling leader Mirabad he jumped soundly, though not as exuberantly as he had on his previous two starts, with jockey Dylan Johnson inclined to blame the ground, yet he was still able to comfortably account for both rivals. 

Trainer Sam Thomas has quietly gone about his business all season with his small but talented team, giving the impression that each horse has a well thought out plan for the season, it’s made for impressive viewing. 

Unlike many trainers he’s also not transfixed with the bright lights of Prestbury in March and I’m certain that granted spring ground he’ll swerve the Cheltenham Festival and instead wait for Aintree where Steel Ally could step back up in trip for the Manifesto Novices Chase. 

On the face of it, Mambonumberfive was disappointing but I’d be inclined to give him a pass. At Kempton on his previous start he looked the first horse beaten before flying home late on and I’m certain the track at Warwick did not play to his strengths. 

He’s been pushed out to 50-1 for the Singer Arkle Chase and that accurately reflects his chance. But a handicap mark of 146 would look appealing if connections were to entertain the Jack Richards Novice Handicap. 

This horse was a selection on his penultimate start when unseating before the business end of the race. Last time out at Hereford he turned in a much more polished round of jumping and looked all over the winner before getting headed late on. He’s off a 3lb higher mark here but crucially steps up in trip that can unlock further improvement and see him get home in front. 

David Pipe’s charge is without a win in nearly two years but he shaped well over an inadequate trip last time. Stepping back up in trip and with Rian Corcoran removing a valuable 8lb he looks capable of delivering a strong challenge. 

Hill Of Tara delivered a tepid performance when pulled up last time at Uttoxeter, but much has been made of the torrid season trainer Venetia Williams has had to endure until now and that run was surely too bad to be true. 

The handicapper dropped him 4lb for that effort, meaning he’s now just 1lb above his last winning mark. There have been small signs that yard form is starting to pick up with some placed runners showing improved form, he can outrun is odds.