Kopek Des Bordes rated higher than Lulamba after pair make winning chase debuts
Lulamba’s impressive win on chasing debut at Exeter earned a Timeform rating of 145P – the ‘large P’ indicating significant improvement to come – but later on Monday afternoon it was a rating surpassed by likely Arkle opponent Kopek Des Bordes, who was rated 150p after his chasing debut at Navan.
All six of Nicky Henderson’s Arkle winners this century also made successful chasing debuts, with Sprinter Sacre, Simonsig (who beat one other finisher), Altior (who faced just one rival) and Shishkin all winning by considerably further than Lulamba’s 10 lengths.
The only one of the six to record a lower rating on his chasing debut was Tiutchev, the winner of the Arkle in 2000, he too starting over fences at Exeter where he won with just a neck to spare.
Trained by Willie Mullins, responsible for six of the last 11 Arkle winners, Kopek des Bordes had superior hurdles form to Lulamba (rated 159 for his Supreme Novices’ Hurdle win compared to Lulamba’s 150p), though subsequently suffered a surprise defeat at Punchestown.
Kopek des Bordes’ hurdling technique had often left something to be desired, but his jumping was largely more assured on his first try over fences, even if he was a bit ‘guessy’ at times, but that can be expected to improve with more experience.
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He typically travelled very strongly and was always in control after jumping on at the fourth and then cruised clear from two out to win by 13 lengths, earning a rating of 150p.
Four of Mullins’ six Arkle winners had won on their chasing debuts and two of them, Douvan and Footpad, also started off successfully in the same beginners chase at Navan.
Douvan won it in 2015 (by nine and a half lengths), earning a rating of 150P, and Footpad won it two years later for a rating of 153p, so Kopek des Bordes has at least made a chasing debut worthy of a potential Arkle winner.
Both Lulamba and Kopek des Bordes are due to have their next races just after Christmas in contests their respective stables have won previously with some of their Arkle winners, Lulamba in the Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton and Kopek des Bordes in the Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown which has been reinstated on their Boxing Day card.
Andrew Asquith of Timeform said: "It was very satisfying that both Kopek des Bordes and Lulamba won as they liked on their respective chasing debuts, and it was no surprise they both shortened for the Arkle as a result.
“For me, the fact that connections of Lulamba were so keen to send him chasing immediately after an excellent juvenile campaign is telling, particularly following the news of State Man being ruled out for the season.
“He has scope for any amount of improvement and, if I had to choose between the two at the moment, he'd be the one I'd side with.”
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