East India Dock cut to 10-1 for Triumph Hurdle but delighted James Owen could have an even better one for festival prize

East India Dock was slashed to 10-1 for the Triumph Hurdle after a dominant 18-length success in the festival race's trial, but trainer James Owen suggested his stable's main contender for the Grade 1 test in March could yet to have emerged.

The Gredley Family's three-year-old thrashed a decent field to follow up a comfortable hurdles debut at Wincanton last month and become second favourite for the Cheltenham Festival's juvenile championship contest, behind Rich Ricci's highly touted French buy Willy De Houelle.

Yet East India Dock's stablemate Lavender Hill Mob could still have a say in the Triumph reckoning, according to Owen. He achieved a rating of 96 on the Flat and will make his hurdling debut in the coming weeks.

Owen revealed: "There's another horse we like a lot called Lavender Hill Mob. He'll be running in early December. He's better on the Flat, schools well and should be a nice horse. He also likes soft ground.

"East India Dock is a lovely horse. He took to hurdling well at Wincanton and we knew this track would suit him. He'll be lovely on the New course, all he does is stay and he has a lot of class. It’s really exciting."

Burdett Road also emerged as a high-class prospect in the Triumph Trial 12 months ago and, comparing the two, Owen added: "He [East India Dock] just relaxes more. He's run twice over hurdles now and hasn't made a mistake. We'll have one more run then go straight to the Triumph."

L'Eau Du Sud: market mover for the Arkle after impressive victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Skelton's Sud cut for Arkle

L'Eau Du Sud was another to boost his festival claims after producing an exemplary jumping display to win the Arkle Trial by 11 lengths.

The six-year-old was beaten a length when sent off favourite for the County Hurdle in March and was backed into 10-11 to follow up a recent Stratford win for Dan Skelton. 

The grey was always in command under Harry Skelton and won with ease, leading Hills to cut his Arkle odds to 10-1 (from 33). 

Skelton said: "With a horse like him and seeing what you've seen, you're entitled to get excited. He's done it around the track and has the form in the book. There are horses that are shorter prices [in the Arkle] who have achieved more over hurdles than he did but they've yet to prove their suitability."

L'Eau Du Sud will head to the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown on December 7 next. Skelton, who won that with Allmankind in 2020, said: "He'll go to Sandown now and hopefully cement himself as the best two-mile chaser in Britain. 

"I'm sure that Nicky [Henderson] will have something to say and so will Paul [Nicholls] but I'm confident enough to say there's a level to come up to. It's very impressive to be that authoritative around here. Perhaps it's a bit bold from me, but you don't mind it sometimes." 

The Skeltons doubled up when Doyen Quest surged clear to land the 3m handicap hurdle by five lengths.

Festival clue

Patrick Mullins got the best out of Transmission in the 3m1f amateurs' handicap chase to set up a possible tilt at the National Hunt Chase in March.  

The seven-year-old, who was backed into 11-4 favourite, was sixth turning in but powered home to win by a length and a half from Java Point for Neil Mulholland.

Course breakthrough

Billy Lee rode his first Cheltenham winner when partnering the well-supported Seo Linn to win the Listed mares' bumper in impressive style for Paddy Twomey.

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