THIS year’s Cheltenham Festival has often had punters scratching their heads.

Constitution Hill, Jonbon and Ballyburn have all been well-fancied disappointments at the meeting, but for Friday’s action, I think there’s at least one popular punters’ pick who will oblige, barring the obvious Galopin Des Champs.

LULAMBA caught many people’s attention when the social media buzz around him saw him crash in price for the Triumph (1.20pm) even before he’d made his debut for Nicky Henderson.

And when he did make his debut, he was scintillating, giving 10 pounds and a good beating to the highly-regarded Mondo Man at Ascot.

There was expectation that he might take in the Adonis at Kempton on his way to the Triumph, but Henderson decided to swerve that and tune him up to perfection with a racecourse gallop at Kempton.

One shouldn’t read too much into these gallops, but another glimpse of him in the flesh did nothing to deter the view that he is potentially a very special horse.

East India Dock is the current 15/8 favourite with Star Sports and you can see why.

He has been a model professional since switching to hurdles and put in a sparkling performance when winning at the track on Trials Day.

James Owen shouldn’t be underestimated as he is a shrewd up-and-coming trainer, but the vibes coming out of Seven Barrows for Lulamba are something different altogether.

This is a yard that’s produced seven Triumph Hurdle winners and when you hear Henderson talk about Lulamba in the way he does, he simply must be taken seriously.

At 2/1 with Star Sports, I’m willing to take the chance that he is their next big thing.

The Hunters’ Chase (4.40pm) isn’t always the easiest race to back the winner in, with horses bringing in Point-to-Point form that many punters wouldn’t be too familiar with.

It often pays to listen to those in-the-know in the pointing game, and this year, the chat has all been about WILLITGOAHEAD.

Previously trained by Sean Thomas Doyle to win four Point-to-Points and a Hunters’ Chase under Rules, the seven-year-old looks like a progressive horse in this sphere, and that’s often the type you want for a race like this.