Lulamba taken out of Mersey heat

Lulamba, second in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, has been taken out of the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Nicky Henderson’s exciting juvenile was due to take on his elders over two and a half miles, in receipt of a 10lb age allowance.

However, despite ground staff watering overnight with eight millimetres being applied, Henderson felt the ground, officially described as good, was too quick.

Gordon Elliott has won the last three renewals of the Grade One contest and this year will rely on the hat-trick-seeking Honesty Policy, although the pick of the Irish challenge could well be Henry de Bromhead’s Koktail Divin, a taking winner at Leopardstown in early March.

De Bromhead said: “He’s a nice horse and we’ll find out more about him.

“After his disappointing run at Fairyhouse (when third behind Kawaboomga and William Munny) we were leaning towards skipping Cheltenham with him, but he won well last time and we hope he will run well.”

Horaces Pearl edged out stablemate Tripoli Flyer on this day last year in the Grade Two bumper, which has since proven to be a red-hot piece of form.

Fergal O’Brien’s seven-year-old is since unbeaten over hurdles and now takes a step up in grade in what promises to be a huge opportunity for a key member of the Ravenswell Farm team, Connor Brace.

“He looks great and Connor Brace has done a lot of work with him. He schooled him on Tuesday and was very happy with him, so we’re looking forward to Saturday,” said O’Brien. “It’s a great opportunity for Connor, who gets on very well with the horse.

“I wouldn’t say it was always the plan to skip Cheltenham with him, that’s just how it worked out really. He won well at Newbury, it takes him a little bit of time to get over his races and this was the obvious place to come having won here last year.”

Stuart Edmunds’ Miami Magic is another with smart course form having finished second to Potters Charm in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle in December before filling the same spot behind the aforementioned Tripoli Flyer in Kempton’s Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle.

Olly Murphy’s Fingle Bridge has been saved for this since downing Regent’s Stroll in an Exeter Listed event in February, but he has also been withdrawn on account of the ground.

Regent’s Stroll has franked the form by bouncing back to his best at Wincanton, with Paul Nicholls looking forward to one last run over hurdles before chasing beckons next season.

“This will probably be his last run over hurdles before he goes chasing and it will gain him some valuable experience at this level,” said the Ditcheat handler.

“He won well the last day at Wincanton and he’s gaining experience with every run. I don’t think you’ll see the best of him until he goes chasing next season, but we’re hopeful of a good run.”