Nov 2018
King, Pipe and Nicholls considering options as weights unveiled for the Ladbrokes Trophy
The weights are unveiled today for the £250,000 G3 Ladbrokes Trophy, the highly-prestigious three and a quarter mile handicap chase which takes place at Newbury on Saturday, December 1, day two of the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival.
Terrefort (Nicky Henderson), the 8/1 market leader with Ladbrokes, has been allotted 11st 5lb after winning G1 novices’ chases at Sandown Park and Aintree last season.
The progressive grey chaser was successful on his one previous start in handicap company in the UK when taking a novices’ handicap chase at Huntingdon in January and, if successful on December 1, would be the first five-year-old to win the Ladbrokes Trophy. He is set to reappear at Sandown Park this Sunday, November 11.
Henderson, the champion jump trainer based just north of Lambourn, is seeking a fourth Ladbrokes Trophy success and could also run Vyta Du Roc (10st 8lb, 16/1), Janika (10st 6lb, 20/1), Beware The Bear (10st 9lb, 33/1).
Joint 10/1 second favourites with Ladbrokes for the Ladbrokes Trophy are Elegant Escape (Colin Tizzard, 10st 12lb), who ran well when third in G1 novices’ chases at the Cheltenham and Aintree Festivals, and Irish-trained Snow Falcon (Noel Meade, 11st 5lb), who already has two big wins on the board this season, having taken the Kerry National at Listowel in September and a G2 chase at Down Royal on November 3.
Elegant Escape’s trainer Colin Tizzard could also be represented by the 2016 G1 King George VI Chase winner and top-weight Thistlecrack (11st 12lb, 16/1), Sizing Tennessee (10st 9lb, 25/1), The Dutchman (10st 8lb, 33/1) and Thistlecrack’s half-brother West Approach (10st 3lb, 20/1). Tizzard, whose stables are on the Dorset/Devon border, is after a second Ladbrokes Trophy success following on from Native River (2016), the subsequent G1 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.
Alan King saddled the popular grey Smad Place to a famous victory in the 2015 Ladbrokes Trophy and has two entries this year, headed by Dingo Dollar (10st 9lb, 25/1). The six-year-old improved last season, with his two successes over fences including an impressive 15-length victory in a novices’ handicap chase at Newbury in December, when he had subsequent Scottish Grand National winner Joe Farrell back in third.
Wiltshire-based King said: “Dingo Dollar is in in good form at home and we are looking to head for the Ladbrokes Trophy.
“We would like to get one run in beforehand and he is declared to run at Newbury tomorrow (Thursday, November 8) over hurdles before the Ladbrokes Trophy.
“He is a nice horse who doesn’t want the ground to be too soft and I think he could be a Scottish National horse in the long-term.”
Another trainer to have already landed the Ladbrokes Trophy is David Pipe, who saddled Madison Du Berlais to a 25/1 success in 2008.
The Nicholashayne handler is considering this year’s Ladbrokes Trophy for Un Temps Pour Tout (11st 5lbm 16/1). The nine-year-old landed back-to-back successes in the G3 Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, but has not been seen out since his second victory in that contest in March, 2017.
Pipe revealed: “Un Temps Pour Tout is back and we are looking forward to this season with him.
“He missed last year through injury and we are hoping to have a full season with him this time around.
“He will be entered in the Grand National as his long term target and other long-distance chases will be on his agenda.
“He is entered in the Ladbrokes Trophy and the race is a possibility at the moment.”
There are 12 Irish-trained contenders in total for the 2018 Ladbrokes Trophy. In addition to Snow Falcon, the Irish-trained contenders are headed by last year’s winner Total Recall (11st 3lb, 16/1), one of eight entries for Ireland’s champion jump trainer Willie Mullins, including leading hopes Al Boum Photo (11st 6lb, 12/1), Isleofhopendreams (10st 5lb, 14/1), Up For Review (10st 7lb, 14/1) and Kemboy (11st 4lb, 16/1).
Somerset-based Paul Nicholls has saddled the winner of the Ladbrokes Trophy three times, headed by the great Denman in 2007 and 2009.
The 10-time champion jump trainer has six entries this year including Black Corton (11st 4lb, 33/1), who was second on his eventful seasonal reappearance in the G2 Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on November 3, when his rider Bryony Frost made an amazing recovery to stay in the saddle after a mistake.
Nicholls reported: “Black Corton ran well behind Definitly Red in the Charlie Hall Chase. The winner was rated 11lb higher, so our horse ran a really good, solid race.
“I would have preferred to be upsides turning in rather than two lengths behind, but I supposed he got a bit out of rhythm, but it was a good sit by Bryony.
“The Wetherby race was a step up in class to what he was running in last year and he ran well.
“Black Corton (won eight last races season) won’t find it as easy as last season as it is a bit of a different ball game – he was able to boss around horses that he was better than.
“We will look at something like the Ladbrokes Trophy with him.”
There is a scratchings deadline for the £250,000 Ladbrokes Trophy on Tuesday, November 13, details of which will be revealed that afternoon.
Ladbrokes Trophy, Ladbrokes bet:
8/1 Terrefort
10/1 Elegant Escape, Snow Falcon
12/1 Al Boum Photo
14/1 Isleofhopendreams, Up For Review, Mister Whitaker
16/1 Calett Mad, Don Poli, Kemboy, Last Goodbye, Pairofbrowneyes, Rene’s Girl, The Young Master, Thomas Patrick, Thistlecrack, Total Recall, Un Temps Pour Tout, Vyta du Roc, Willoughby Court
20/1 Janika, Ms Parfois, Virgilio, West Approach, Yala Enki
25/1 Allysson Monterg, American, Ballyoptic, Braqueur d’Or, Clan des Obeaux,
Coo Star Sivola, Dingo Dollar, Final Nudge, Full Irish, Go Conquer, Invitation Only, Javert,
Otago Trail, Rathvinden, Sizing Tennessee, Solighoster, Splash Of Ginge, Step Back
33/1 Adrien du Pont, Beware The Bear, Black Corton, El Bandit, Flying Angel, Label des Obeaux,
Monbeg Notorious, One For Arthur, The Dutchman
40/1 Rocklander
50/1 Present Man, Regal Encore, Rock The Kasbah
The Ladbrokes Trophy
Grade 3 handicap chase, £250,000 total prize fund. Newbury, Saturday, December 1. Three miles and two furlongs (3m 1f 214y). For four-year-olds and upwards. Penalties: after November 4, a winner of a chase 4lb, a winner of two chases 7lb – no penalty to increase a horse’s weight above 11st 12lb. Entries closed October 30, entries revealed October 31 (56 entries, 1 subsequently scratched). Weights revealed November 7, scratchings deadline November 13, five-day confirmation stage November 26, final declarations November 29. Maximum field 24, plus 2 reserves.
Horse | Age | Wgt | Owner | Trainer |
THISTLECRACK | 10 | 11-12 | John and Heather Snook | Colin Tizzard |
DON POLI (IRE) | 9 | 11-07 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
AL BOUM PHOTO (FR) | 6 | 11-06 | Mrs J Donnelly | Willie Mullins IRE |
TERREFORT (FR) | 5 | 11-05 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
SNOW FALCON (IRE) | 8 | 11-05 | Patricia Hunt | Noel Meade IRE |
UN TEMPS POUR TOUT (IRE) | 9 | 11-05 | Professor Caroline Tisdall & Bryan Drew | David Pipe |
VIRGILIO (FR) | 9 | 11-04 | C J Edwards, D Futter, A H Rushworth | Dan Skelton |
BLACK CORTON (FR) | 7 | 11-04 | The Brooks, Stewart Families & J Kyle | Paul Nicholls |
CLAN DES OBEAUX (FR) | 6 | 11-04 | Mr & Mrs P Barber, G Mason, Sir A Ferguson | Paul Nicholls |
KEMBOY (FR) | 6 | 11-04 | Supreme Racing/Brett Graham/Ken Sharp | Willie Mullins IRE |
TOTAL RECALL (IRE) | 9 | 11-03 | Slaneyville Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
ONE FOR ARTHUR (IRE) | 9 | 11-01 | Two Golf Widows | Lucinda Russell |
AMERICAN (FR) | 8 | 11-01 | The Jago Family Partnership | Harry Fry |
RATHVINDEN (IRE) | 10 | 11-01 | R A Bartlett | Willie Mullins IRE |
REGAL ENCORE (IRE) | 10 | 11-00 | J P McManus | Anthony Honeyball |
OTAGO TRAIL (IRE) | 10 | 10-13 | Mrs Marie Shone | Venetia Williams |
MISTER WHITAKER (IRE) | 6 | 10-13 | Tim Radford | Mick Channon |
INVITATION ONLY (IRE) | 7 | 10-13 | Andrea & Graham Wylie | Willie Mullins IRE |
MONBEG NOTORIOUS (IRE) | 7 | 10-12 | Gigginstown House Stud | Gordon Elliott IRE |
WILLOUGHBY COURT (IRE) | 7 | 10-12 | Paul & Clare Rooney | Ben Pauling |
ELEGANT ESCAPE (IRE) | 6 | 10-12 | J P Romans | Colin Tizzard |
JAVERT (IRE) | 9 | 10-11 | Axom LII | Emma Lavelle |
YALA ENKI (FR) | 8 | 10-11 | Hills of Ledbury (Aga) | Venetia Williams |
COO STAR SIVOLA (FR) | 6 | 10-10 | Babbit Racing | Nick Williams |
STEP BACK (IRE) | 8 | 10-10 | Cracker and Smodge Partnership | Mark Bradstock |
DINGO DOLLAR (IRE) | 6 | 10-09 | M Warren J Holmes R Kidner & J Wright | Alan King |
THE DUTCHMAN (IRE) | 8 | 10-09 | SprayClad UK | Colin Tizzard |
THOMAS PATRICK (IRE) | 6 | 10-09 | David Kellett | Tom Lacey |
SIZING TENNESSEE (IRE) | 10 | 10-09 | Ann & Alan Potts Limited | Colin Tizzard |
BEWARE THE BEAR (IRE) | 8 | 10-09 | G B Barlow | Nicky Henderson |
GO CONQUER (IRE) | 9 | 10-08 | Paul & Clare Rooney | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
PAIROFBROWNEYES (IRE) | 9 | 10-08 | Fibbage Syndicate | Willie Mullins IRE |
VYTA DU ROC (FR) | 9 | 10-08 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
LAST GOODBYE (IRE) | 7 | 10-08 | Last Goodbye Syndicate | Liz Doyle IRE |
ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE) | 8 | 10-08 | Diana Whateley | Philip Hobbs |
LABEL DES OBEAUX (FR) | 7 | 10-07 | David Sewell & Terry Warner | Alan King |
UP FOR REVIEW (IRE) | 9 | 10-07 | Andrea & Graham Wylie | Willie Mullins IRE |
MS PARFOIS (IRE) | 7 | 10-07 | M R Chapman | Anthony Honeyball |
JANIKA (FR) | 5 | 10-06 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nicky Henderson |
PRESENT MAN (IRE) | 8 | 10-05 | Mr & Mrs Mark Woodhouse | Paul Nicholls |
ISLEOFHOPENDREAMS | 11 | 10-05 | Kilbroney Racing | Willie Mullins IRE |
RENE’S GIRL (IRE) | 8 | 10-05 | Andy & Sharon Measham | Dan Skelton |
ADRIEN DU PONT (FR) | 6 | 10-05 | Mrs Johnny de la Hey | Paul Nicholls |
ALLYSSON MONTERG (FR) | 8 | 10-05 | David Fox | Richard Hobson |
ROCKLANDER (IRE) | 9 | 10-03 | D O’Donohoe, J Cavanagh, S Nelson | Tom George |
FLYING ANGEL (IRE) | 7 | 10-03 | R J Rexton | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
WEST APPROACH | 8 | 10-03 | John and Heather Snook | Colin Tizzard |
CALETT MAD (FR) | 6 | 10-02 | Simon Munir & Isaac Souede | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
SPLASH OF GINGE | 10 | 10-02 | J D Neild | Nigel Twiston-Davies |
EL BANDIT (IRE) | 7 | 10-00 | Barry Fulton, Colm Donlon & Chris Giles | Paul Nicholls |
FINAL NUDGE (IRE) | 9 | 9-13 | Corbett Stud | David Dennis |
FULL IRISH (IRE) | 7 | 9-10 | N Mustoe | Emma Lavelle |
THE YOUNG MASTER | 9 | 9-10 | Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters | Neil Mulholland |
BRAQUEUR D’OR (FR) | 7 | 9-08 | Corsellis & Seyfried | Paul Nicholls |
SOLIGHOSTER (FR) | 6 | 9-08 | The Colony Stable LLC & Dajam Ltd | Neil Mulholland |
55 entries remain (BALLYOPTIC (IRE) scratched)
12 Irish-trained