Friday, November 26, 2021

The 2021 Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury

As I'm off to the track tomorrow, I took the trouble to tune in to Racing TV's 'Newbury Gallops Morning' broadcast a week or so ago. 

Below, abbreviated comments on those declared for tomorrow's feature, the Ladbrokes Trophy (3.00); make of these notes whatever you will.

Copperhead: Likely to need the run.

Full Back: Has not always jumped well in the past (pulled up behind Remastered in the Reynoldstown).

Demachine: Good jumper, best fresh, trip a worry; outstayed by Remastered in the Reynoldstown.

Enrilo: Cobden tells trainer the horse doesn't want to pull up!

Kitty's Light: Prefers nice ground - found ground holding in the Charlie Hall. Bids to become the first five-year-old to win; not the biggest, will be 'conservatively' ridden towards the rear in the early stages. 

Brave Eagle: First run has put him right.

Alan King tells readers of the Weekender that Potterman is a genuine good ground horse and this race has been the target all season. Canelo has 'come on plenty' for his pipe-opener at Bangor 'though he'll probably progress again for another outing'.

21 are set to face the starter; the official going is currently described as good to soft, good in places (watered). 

The Irish challenge is spearheaded by Eklat De Rire and Munster National winner Ontheropes; at the time of writing Eklat De Rire has come in for significant support and is the clear market leader. 

Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore won last weekend's feature, the Betfair Chase at Haydock, with A Plus Tard and, no doubt, are hoping to repeat the trick this weekend. Relatively unexposed, the gelding could be anything with just four chase starts to his name;  most of his racing has been on soft or heavy ground.

Trained by Willie Mullins Ontheropes has undergone a similar preparation to Total Recall who stayed on strongly after the last to collar Whisper on the run-in to collect the spoils for connections in 2017.

Enrilo heads the challengers based this side of the Irish Sea. 

Back in April he passed the post first in the bet365 Chase at Sandown but was subsequently disqualified and placed third after hanging left and hampering Kitty's Light on the run to the line. The race was awarded to Potterman in the stewards' room but, with just threequarters of a length separating the trio on the line, Kitty's Light appeared unfortunate. They look closely matched once again; Enrilo worked well in last week's gallop at the track.

Team Tizzard endured a torrid time of it last year but the operation is in rude health this term.

Fiddlerontheroof finished second behind Monkfish in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in March and looked impressive at Carlisle last month. To date Fiddler has finished in the first three on all eight chase starts.  

Last year Cloth Cap made all off a mark of 136 to win 10 lengths (The Hollow Ginge fourth, with Mister Malarky and Potterman unseating; Danny Whizzbang and Copperhead pulled up). He was subsequently sent off 11/2 favourite for the Grand National at Aintree and was bang there four from home before stopping quickly. The horse had reportedly 'choked' and four days later underwent wind surgery. Dropped two pounds after a pipe-opener at Cheltenham last month, he goes off 154 this year and his chance is respected.

Writing in the Weekender Alistair Jones highlights the importance of a good start and a prominent pitch in this race. That piece of advice strikes a particular personal chord - in recent years a number of my selections have been beaten by the time they've reached the first fence: Label Des Obeaux (2017); American (2018); and Daklondike (2019). Aye Right fared better last year in second.

Remastered would be of interest with more cut underfoot while it's possible to make a case for The Hollow Ginge and Mister Malarky. Both are inconsistent but The Hollow Ginge returned from his summer break in fine form at Cheltenham five weeks ago.

Of those at bigger prices, Brave Eagle (eighth behind De Rasher Counter in 2019 off 158) starts off a mark of 149 tomorrow and on ground that suits can run well at odds of 50/1. I'm also intrigued by Fortescue - trainer Henry Daly isn't known for running horses out of their grade.

Cloth Cap bids to join the likes of Mandarin, Arkle and Denman who have won this famous old race twice. Jonjo O'Neill's charge jumped well and won last year's renewal in a fast time; he'll encounter similar conditions tomorrow. 

Ideally I prefer a younger horse for this but at the time of writing the 14/1 on offer from Paddy Power is too much of a temptation.

Cloth Cap (14/1) is the each-way suggestion with Paddy Power paying six places.

A quick footnote to finish... 

I think two are certainly worthy of a second look in the handicap hurdle at 2.25: 

Annsam was beaten two and a quarter lengths by Calva D'Auge at Kempton last time. Isabel Williams (rode Dans Le Vent to victory in the Stayers' Hurdle at Haydock last weekend) is booked and can claim five. At the time of writing Calva D'Auge is generally 8/1 while Annsam is 16/1 with Paddy Power.

Course and distance winner Dorking Boy won last time out, enjoys a fast pace and is considered best on a flat, galloping track. Early in the week Stan Sheppard was jocked up for the ride but I see he has opted instead for Dorking Boy's stablemate Glory And Fortune (beat Dans Le Vent four lengths in the Welsh Champion Hurdle and then finished a respectable sixth in the Greatwood). With conditions to suit, Dorking Boy might be overpriced at 18/1.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ladbrokes Trophy Chase

RTG,Horse,WC
179,POTTERMAN(GB),11.5
181,CLOTH CAP(IRE),10.1
179,DEMACHINE(IRE),8.5
177,FIDDLERONTHEROOF(IRE),7.5
177,ONTHEROPES(IRE),7.2
174,ENRILO(FR),6.4
172,THE HOLLOW GINGE(IRE),5.7
176,MISTER MALARKY(GB),5.6
175,REMASTERED(GB),5.2
173,BRAVE EAGLE(IRE),4.9
173,KITTY'S LIGHT(GB),4.5
173,ONE MORE FLEURIE(IRE),4.5
170,FORTESCUE(GB),4.1
173,CLOUDY GLEN(IRE),3.7
176,FULL BACK(FR),3.6
173,EKLAT DE RIRE(FR),2.5
172,CANELO(IRE),2
169,DANNY WHIZZBANG(IRE),1.4
168,ANNAMIX(FR),0.8
166,BRAHMA BULL(IRE),0.1
158,COPPERHEAD(GB),0.1

Get Your Ladbrokes 1 Free Bet Today Handicap Hurdle

RTG,Horse,WC
168,CH'TIBELLO(FR),18.8
170,ANNSAM(GB),16.3
161,DORKING BOY(GB),11.3
158,EARLOFTHECOTSWOLDS(FR),10.9
162,MASTERS LEGACY(IRE),10.8
160,BOREHAM BILL(IRE),10.2
158,CALVA D'AUGE(FR),9.9
158,BLACK MISCHIEF(GB),5.2
158,GLORY AND FORTUNE(IRE),4.1
162,FRED(FR),2.4
153,LECALE'S ARTICLE(IRE),0.2

Cloth Cap tops the ratings but Potterman is the system pick.

Annsam & Dorking Boy both rank highly on the system output, Ch'tibello could be a threat to all if fit for the race.

Win or lose enjoy the day!

TW

GeeDee said...

Thanks for providing your ratings, TW.

Have to say, I'm encouraged by the ratings allotted to my selections... ;)

Anonymous said...

Have to say, I'm encouraged by the ratings allotted to my selections... ;)

If that is not tongue-in-cheek then you clearly have not been following them closely enough!

Clerk of the course morning update:

Good to Soft, Good (in places) 3mm of rain overnight There is no scheduled inspection but we are monitoring wind speeds closely

Potterman aside the only other horse the system is interested in at the meeting is Topofthecotswolds

Good luck

TW

GeeDee said...

Noted. Thanks TW.

Anonymous said...

Aye Right....trust you were also betting at the away meeting(s)!

TW

GeeDee said...

TW,

Missed Aye Right - one of my favourite horses in training.

The big screen in the paddock at Newbury switched, rather suddenly, to the snow storm at Newcastle and final four furlongs of the Rehearsal Chase. As soon as the commentator called Aye Right the leader, the result seemed inevitable.

On the back burner, I think there could still be another race in Takingrisks.

However I'm at a complete loss to explain Sam's Adventure. Won the Tommy Whittle and Eider last term yet sent off 40/1 on both starts runs this season.

GeeDee said...

Carrying the colours of the late Trevor Hemmings Cloth Cap (16/1) jumped well in the main from the front but couldn't go on as they turned into the home straight for the final time.

Remastered (11/1) took a crashing fall when looking dangerous leaving Cloudy Glen (33/1) at the head of affairs. Fiddlerontheroof (9/2) emerged as the only serious threat to the leader but the winner wasn't for passing, carrying Trevor Hemmings' second colours (distinguishing green cap) to victory by half a length.

Brahma Bull (40/1) was 28 lengths back in third with Ontheropes (8/1) fourth, Demachine (16/1) fifth and Cloth Cap sixth.