15:00 Newbury

Saturday 30 November 2019

All12:0512:4013:1513:5014:2515:0015:40

Ladbrokes Trophy Chase (Grade 3 Handicap)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 6m 27.40s

Elegant Escape^b1²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: H Cobden| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 160| C

15/2

4-14 over fences and stamina underlined by his Welsh National win last season (3m5½f, soft). Beaten 10L in this last year, when 5lb lower, but has improved and ran well on his return in the Charlie Hall. Blinkers go on. Big player.

Form: 21266-2

Beware The Bear^b²¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: J McGrath| T: N J Henderson| OR: 158| C| D

25/1

Course winner who landed the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March under today's pilot, when 7lb lower. Acts on soft, gets this trip and goes well fresh, so if you don't get too hung up on his mark, you couldn't rule out an each-way bid.

Form: 4P/411P-

Brave Eagle^p¹⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-10| J: James Bowen| T: N J Henderson| OR: 158| C| D

20/1

Beaten only once in five chases and still improving, as evidenced by his Uttoxeter Listed win, when last seen in June. Has won four times when fresh, and despite his mark, he remains unexposed and looks set to be very competitive again.

Form: 2113-11

Yala Enki²⁶⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-7| J: Bryony Frost| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 155| DWS

25/1

Multiple chase winner for Venetia Williams (including 2018 Haydock Grand National Trial on heavy). Third to Elegant Escape in last year's Welsh National, but handicapped to the hilt and this will be tough on stable debut for top team.

Form: 66/1357-

Yorkhill⁵⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 11-6| J: Brian Hayes| T: W P Mullins| OR: 154

25/1

Grade 1 winner over both hurdles and fences, whose top three efforts have all been on a sound surface. Respected, but hasn't shown enough in recent outings to suggest he can defy this sort of mark in a very competitive handicap.

Form: 2-0U1P4

Robinsfirth^t²⁸⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: R Johnson| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 153| DWS

25/1

Picked up big handicap pots at both Cheltenham in December 2017, and then again in the Haydock Grand National Trial (3m4½f, good) in February. 5lb higher here. Has had wind surgery in interim, goes well fresh and should give a very good account.

Form: U421/21-

Ok Corral²⁶³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-3| J: Aidan Coleman| T: N J Henderson| OR: 151| D

9/1

Grade 1 second over hurdles and was impressive when making it 2-2 over fences in a Listed Warwick event in January. Hampered by fallers and his own mistakes at in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham Festival but unexposed and type to do well here.

Form: 125/11P-

Mister Malarky^p1²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.⁽³⁾| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 150| C

14/1

Won Grade 2 Novices' Chase at Ascot in February. Fourth in RSA at Cheltenham next, before very good effort in big field Aintree handicap chase in April, when 3lb lower. Well below par on reappearance, but each-way player if bouncing back.

Form: 31142-0

On The Blind Side^p²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 149

8/1

Talented dual Grade 2 winner of novice hurdles two seasons ago. Won a Kempton novices' chase in January, but never travelling when pulled up in RSA Chase (14-1). Respectable recent effort at Ascot, and fits profile of runners that do well in this.

Form: 6/41P2-4

De Rasher Counter⁴³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-1| J: Ben Jones⁽⁵⁾| T: Miss E C Lavelle| OR: 149| BF| C

12/1

Has perhaps got a little to prove in the hustle and bustle of a field this size, but his peak effort so far, a Uttoxeter Class 2 success (3m, heavy) in March, suggests he can get involved if better for his return run over hurdles.

Form: P7121-6

Le Musee^v1⁶⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: David Noonan| T: N J Hawke| OR: 147

100/1

Triple winner over fences, and won well on soft at Perth (2m4f) on his penultimate start. However, never travelled back there last time, when on today's mark. Visor goes on, but this is a tough race to try to bounce back in.

Form: 0-1331P

Daklondike²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-13| J: T Scudamore| T: D Pipe| OR: 147| CD

25/1

4-10 over fences, and after a Tommy Whittle Chase win at Haydock last December, he was sent off favourite for the Peter Marsh back there next time, when 2lb lower than today (unseated). Decent reappearance here over hurdles and not written off.

Form: P/P1UR-2

Borice^t¹²²

Age: 8| Weight: 10-13| J: D A Jacob| T: G Elliott| OR: 147WS

12/1

Placed in Grade 3 company in France. Didn't show much on joining this trainer last season, but romped home in two novice hurdles in the summer and stayed on well to win Galway Plate (2m6½f, good) when last seen. Had wind op since. Interesting.

Form: 509-111

Cabaret Queen⁴⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Paul Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 146

8/1

Former Dan Skelton inmate who trumped everything she achieved for him when making a mockery of a Limerick handicap chase (3m, heavy) last month. 20lb higher than her Irish mark now, but can't afford to be taken lightly after that.

Form: P74-F21

Two Taffs^t²⁸

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 146

20/1

Never out of first three in six chases, albeit winning only one of them in Listed company at Ayr in 2017. Only seen once since October that year, when an encouraging third in a Grade 2 stayers' hurdle at Wetherby recently. Unexposed and interesting.

Form: 23312/3

Dingo Dollar^v1²³

Age: 7| Weight: 10-12| J: Tom Cannon| T: A King| OR: 146| BF| C| D

12/1

Dual novice chase winner two seasons ago, and 17L third from 2lb higher in this race last year (in cheekpieces). Visor goes on and can't rule him out again on an each-way basis.

Form: 4362P-3

West Approach¹⁴^{(ex 4)}

Age: 9| Weight: 10-12| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 142| BF| C

13/2

Talented but has been frustrating for followers, who would have been relieved to see him get it right for the third time over fences in a Grade 3 at Cheltenham (3m3½f, soft) last time. 4lb penalty for that, but has to prove he can back it up.

Form: 2966-21

Some Chaos³⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 10-11| J: Benjamin Poste| T: M Scudamore| OR: 145| D

40/1

Dual good ground winner at up to 3m2f earlier in the year. Got stuck in the Cheltenham mud back over hurdles in a pipe-opener for this last month. Unexposed and could go well at a price.

Form: 12511-4

Joe Farrell⁵⁰

Age: 10| Weight: 10-10| J: L P Aspell| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 144| BF| C

25/1

2018 Scottish National winner (on good), and had scored here on soft prior to that. Remains 9lb higher than that Ayr success, but showed he retains all his ability on his Chepstow reappearance and could go very well here.

Form: 1/62PP-3

Regal Encore^t²⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 10-9| J: R P McLernon| T: A J Honeyball| OR: 143

25/1

Won in Listed company when 7lb higher at Ascot last year, but has been unable to add another success to his CV. Held from 1lb lower last time, and others make more appeal.

Form: 37-2082

Shantou Village^p,t⁸⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 10-8| J: R T Dunne| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 142

40/1

5-16 over fences and without a win since August last year. Has failed to complete in his last three and it would be some feat to come back to win this.

Form: 156UP-U

Walt^p,t¹⁶^{(ex 4)}

Age: 8| Weight: 10-5| J: James Best| T: N P Mulholland| OR: 135

40/1

Kempton Grade 3 winner in February, when 5lb lower, and after a spell in the doldrums he returned to form at Taunton last time. Didn't have much to spare there, and this looks much tougher, especially as his best efforts have been on drier ground.

Form: 1P6-651

The Conditional³⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 10-3| J: Brendan Powell| T: D G Bridgwater| OR: 137

20/1

Beat West Approach 1¾L at Cheltenham last month, and meets him on the same terms here. Remains unexposed and with a feather racing weight here, it would be no surprise to see him go well for each-way supporters.

Form: 4654-31

Commodore¹⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 10-1| J: Charlie Deutsch| T: Miss V Williams| OR: 135

25/1

3-5 over fences, and can be given a chance based on his Sandown (3m, soft) win in March. However, 13lb higher here and in a much deeper race, so he has plenty to prove after a below par reappearance.

Form: 230/11-5

Forecasts

West Approach (13/2), Elegant Escape (15/2), Cabaret Queen (8/1), On The Blind Side (8/1), Ok Corral (9/1), De Rasher Counter (12/1), Dingo Dollar (12/1), Borice (12/1), Mister Malarky (14/1), The Conditional (20/1), Brave Eagle (20/1), Two Taffs (20/1), Beware The Bear (25/1), Joe Farrell (25/1), Daklondike (25/1), Yala Enki (25/1), Commodore (25/1), Robinsfirth (25/1), Yorkhill (25/1), Regal Encore (25/1), Walt (40/1), Some Chaos (40/1), Shantou Village (40/1), Le Musee (100/1)

The presence of Elegant Escape makes this a better renewal than last year, when his trainer Colin Tizzard won the race for a second time in three years, on that occasion with Sizing Tennessee. His topweight looks to have a tremendous chance again, but the trainer can lift the prize this time with ROBINSFIRTH. Proven in tough handicaps, he goes well fresh and his trainer should have him cherry ripe for his first start after wind surgery. Joe Farrell should relish this sort of test, while the unexposed Ok Corral and On The Blind Side look the pick of the Henderson team. Daklondike, Two Taffs, The Conditional, Borice and Cabaret Queen are others of interest in a handicap to savour.