Lulamba to have one run between now and the Arkle as Nicky Henderson plots path to the Cheltenham Festival

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Nicky Henderson is set to give leading Arkle Chase contender Lulamba one more run before the Cheltenham Festival – and that is likely to come early next year rather than at Kempton's Christmas meeting.

The four-year-old followed up his pleasing chase debut success at Exeter with a brilliant performance in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown this month. He is 15-8 favourite with bet365 for the Arkle, with Kopek Des Bordes 5-2 second favourite after suffering a setback that required him to have a chip removed from his knee.

Henderson won last season's Arkle with unlikely scorer Jango Baie, and he is very much focused on that Cheltenham Grade 1 with Lulamba, who looks set to wait until February before he runs again.