Poniros and Lulamba primed for Punchestown rematch

Poniros and Lulamba are set for a rematch in the Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown.

The latter, trained by Nicky Henderson, was the second-favourite when the two horses met previously in the JCB Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, with Willie Mullins’ Poniros sent off a 100-1 shot on his hurdling bow.

It was therefore a major surprise when he pounced to score by a neck from Lulamba and now the two cross paths again.

Henderson said of his runner: “He’s only had two runs this season so he can afford another one. He’s very, very fresh and well in himself so we’d thought we would give it a go and try to end the season on a high.

“I think he’s improving, but there is every reason to believe Willie’s horse will improve as well, but we’ll have the rematch and see if we can get them to flip-flop.”

Sean Graham, racing manager to Poniros’ owner Tony Bloom, said of their gelding: “It’s not going to be easy, it looks tough enough without Lulamba and with him in there we will have to be on our A game to win it.

“Lulamba had one run in France and won so easily that he probably didn’t really have a race, the first time he’s been asked to come off the bridle was probably in the Triumph Hurdle and we beat him a neck.

“The fancied horses in the Triumph were at each other’s necks a long way out and maybe that’s why we were able to pick them off and come through to win.

“Poniros will have to improve from that, but we are very hopeful.”

Hello Neighbour was sixth in the Triumph, and like Poniros and Lulamba lines up a fresh horse having skipped the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

“He just didn’t work well enough for us in his last bit of work before Aintree, so that’s why he didn’t travel over there,” said trainer Gavin Cromwell.

“I suppose he had a hard race at Cheltenham and it was off the back of the Grade Two win on his debut at Christmas and then the Dublin Racing Festival. We just said we’d give him a chance.

“It was a very quick turnaround this year from Cheltenham to Aintree and when you’re borderline on sending him, I’m glad we didn’t as that might have left a mark on him and we have Punchestown to look forward to now.”

On the same card Gordon Elliott’s Brighterdaysahead looks to return to form in the SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle.

The six-year-old was a considered a real threat to the headline acts in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, but along with Constitution Hill and State Man, her luck was not in and she could only finish a well-beaten fourth.

Aintree was bypassed and she arrives at Punchestown fresh and ready to put her uncharacteristic Cheltenham run behind her.

“Hopefully she’s well, she hasn’t done an awful lot since Cheltenham, but Gordon is happy with her and we hope she’ll be lucky,” said Eddie O’Leary of owners Gigginstown House Stud.

“She wasn’t right after Cheltenham, that was wasn’t her at all, so hopefully we’ll see a better effort here.”

Elliott did, however, sound a ground warning on the eve of the race.

“I’m just hoping the ground doesn’t dry out any more. She’s in good form and she’s well, but we’re just nervous about the ground,” said the Cullentra handler.

“We’ll be walking it and if there’s not a good bit of water put on tonight, she won’t be running.”