Kempton Park can expect a bumper crowd for the popular Ladbrokes Trophy Day today, as the countdown to next month’s Cheltenham Festival continues. The central London track hosts a seven-race card on ground posted as good to soft.
Hyland bids for the Ladbrokes Trophy today at Kempton (Pic – Healy Racing via Irish Racing)
The feature is the Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase (17h35), which sees a field of thirteen contest over three miles.
Hyland and Lowry’s Bar, two novices in the field, look the main protagonists even though they head the weights.
Nicky Henderson’s Hyland ran second to the top-class The Jukebox Jury in the Gr1 Kauto Star over course and distance on Boxing Day. He looks on a nice mark back in handicap company and is narrowly preferred to the equally progressive Lowry’s Bar. The latter won two good races chasing before a gallant second to Jingo Blue in a Group 2 chase at Windsor.
Earlier on the card, the Paul Nicholls trained Rubaud can take advantage of his 5lb allowance over Irish raider Ashdale Bob and land the Gr2 Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase (15h50).
Rubaud was no match for Sir Gino or Ballyburn here in December and then bumped into the Skelton’s stable star L’Eau Du Sud at Warwick. He jumped well enough that day and closed to within a length of the leading Arkle contender. There is nothing with that ability here.
With Nicky Henderson not accepting with his high-class juvenile Lulamba, this looks an ideal opportunity for Mondo Man to land the Gr2 Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (16h25).
Second to Lulamba at Ascot, the Gary and Josh Moore trained four-year-old should be too good for his five rivals.
The Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (17h00) run over two miles sees eight go to post. Miami Magic, a course and distance winner from the Stuart Edmunds yard, ran a cracker when second in the Group 1 Formby on Boxing Day and sets the standard.
The danger on drying ground could come in the form of the six-year-old Celtic Dino. His trainer Sam Thomas is convinced this horse will improve on better ground, making him a runner against the favourite Miami Magic, who finished in front of him when both placed at Aintree.
Tripoli Flyer should complete the trifecta.
