Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase Preview: Nicholls to Grab Gold

This Saturday offers another cracking menu of racing entertainment with quality action over jumps and on the level. Up at Newcastle, we have one of the most demanding staying events of the year in the shape of the Eider Chase, whilst the flat stars head to the Tapeta at Southwell for the 2025 edition of the Winter Derby.

On a day filled with punting possibilities, the pick of the action comes from the Sunbury-on-Thames venue of Kempton, where the seven-race card includes a trio of Grade 2 contests and one of the biggest handicap events in the lead-up to the Cheltenham Festival.

3m is the trip for the £150,000 Ladbrokes Trophy, with 18 fences standing between the field and victory. Despite the comparatively short distance, this Premier Handicap is regularly used as a stepping stone towards the Aintree Grand National, with Rhyme ‘N’ Reason and Rough Quest following up a win in this race with success on Merseyside at the beginning of April.

A valuable prize in its own right and well worth watching with an eye to the big events to come, the Ladbrokes Trophy is a race not to be missed. Here, we run the rule over the 13 contenders for 2025 and pick out our best betting option in this hugely competitive event.

The ground was good on Friday afternoon, but with rain in the area, is expected to ease a little by the time the race gets underway.

Lowry’s Bar – 11/2 with bet365

Trainer: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Jockey: Micheal Nolan

One of the big success stories for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White in 2023/24, Lowry’s Bar won four of five outings to climb to a hurdles mark of 133. Since switching to chasing in November, he has continued to progress with wins at Exeter and Chepstow. All six career wins have come over 2m3½f or shorter, which poses a question regarding the trip. However, he finished a fine second to the 151-rated Jingko Blue on his first crack at 3m last time out and may have finished closer but for a blunder at the third last that day. The top weight has sound claims off a mark of 148.

Hyland – 7/2 with bet365

Trainer: Nicky Henderson

Jockey: Nico de Boinville

Nicky Henderson has not won this race since saddling Marlborough to victory in 2004. However, the market suggests he is the man to beat in 2025. Having reached a mark of 135, Hyland was a marginally better hurdler than Lowry’s Bar. In common with his market rival, he has taken well to chasing. A dual winner at around this trip, his latest effort saw him go down by 2½l to the 151-rated The Jukebox Man in the Kauto Star Novices Hurdle. There is little to choose between the top two in the weights, but those distance wins may give Hyland the edge. However, if the rain in the area is heavier than forecast, the ground may go against a horse who has failed to shine in his previous efforts on soft.

Our Power – 7/1 with bet365

Trainer: Sam Thomas

Jockey: Dylan Johnston

Number three on the list is the 2023 winner of this race. Our Power is two years older and 3lb higher in the handicap this time, but that is wiped out by his rider's 3lb claim, and his proven ability over the track and trip counts for plenty. Having returned with a fine second at Cheltenham, he took a slight step backwards on softer ground than ideal at that track in November and is another who wouldn’t want too much rain. 

Tahmuras – 16/1 with bet365

Trainer: Paul Nicholls

Jockey: Jonathan Burke

Ten years is a long time between drinks for Paul Nicholls in major staying handicaps, but that is the gap back to his most recent win in this in 2015. Tahmuras is one of two Ditcheat entries tasked with bringing that losing run to an end. Now eight years of age, this Falco gelding made an electric start to life over hurdles, culminating in a Grade 1 victory in the Challow Novices’ Hurdle. Six starts into his chase career, he hasn’t quite hit those heights. That said, he ran well for second in the Grade 2 Pendil Novices’ Chase at this track in February 2024. Soft ground would be in his favour, but he faded close home on his first outing over 3m at Wetherby in December.

Corrigeen Rock – 20/1 with bet365

Trainer: Lucinda Russell 

Jockey: Derek Fox

Corrigeen Rock showed very little over hurdles but, in common with many from this yard, has markedly improved over fences. Initially handed a mark of 117, five wins and a trio of solid runners-up finishes saw him climb as high as 144 - suggesting that there may be room for manoeuvre in his current rating of 140. However, that reduced rating is a result of three subpar efforts this season, and he hasn’t run over this far since his Point-to-Point days.

Heltenham – 10/1 with bet365

Trainer: Dan Skelton

Jockey: Harry Skelton

Representing the current Trainer’s Championship leader, Heltenham has several smart efforts in the book, including a verdict over Kandoo Kid in the 2024 edition of the Greatwood Gold Cup in March. He showed little to nothing in two outings earlier in the season but has been off since November, and with four of his six career wins coming in February or March, this may be his time of year. A mark of 136 takes him back down to his last winning rating, but he is another who is yet to race over this 3m trip.

Beachcomber – 15/2 with bet365

Trainer: Jonjo & A J O’Neill

Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

Having hacked up by 10l over this course and distance last time out, Beachcomber has no such concerns regarding the trip. Making only his fifth chase start, he is also one of the least exposed runners in the field. He’s up 9lb in a hotter race here but may have more in the locker provided the ground doesn’t deteriorate – two previous outings on soft have resulted in two defeats by a combined 79 lengths.

Golden Son – 8/1 with bet365

Trainer: Paul Nicholls

Jockey: Harry Cobden

Yard number one, Harry Cobden, takes the ride aboard this ex-French runner who arrived at Ditcheat with a tall reputation in 2022. Thus far, it’s fair to say that Golden Son has failed to deliver all that may have been hoped for. On the plus side, his only previous British success came at this track, when giving 5lb and a beating to Heltenham. There was also encouragement to be drawn from his most recent outing over this course and distance in December. He finished 10½l behind Beachcomber that day but rallied nicely in the closing stages on what was his second start following a break and a wind operation. 9lbs better off with that rival here, he may go close if taking another step forward.

Guard Your Dreams – 28/1 with bet365

Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies

Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies

Having reached a mark of 147 over hurdles, this Nigel Twiston-Davies runner ought to be well handicapped off a chase rating of 134. He suggested that may be the case when scoring first time out at Warwick but has largely failed to deliver since. Connections roll the dice with this step up in trip from 2m4f, but the horse hasn’t looked to be crying out for the additional distance in his recent outings.

Deeper Blue 22/1 with bet365

Trainer: David Pipe

Jockey: Conor O’Farrell

This lightly raced nine-year-old took a while to get the hang of things over hurdles but rounded off his career over timber with back-to-back wins at Fontwell and Exeter. Formerly based at the yard of Harry Fry, he has been hit and miss over fences, alternating respectable efforts with complete no-shows. Only 1lb higher than when second over just short of this trip at Newbury, he’s not out of it from a handicapping perspective but likely needs to find improvement on his first start for new trainer David Pipe.

Unanswered Prayers – 20/1 with bet365

Trainer: Chris Gordon

Jockey: Freddie Gordon

Having finished an 8¼l sixth in the 2024 edition, Unanswered Prayers returns for another crack off a 1lb higher mark. He has work to do on that evidence and has failed to hit the heights in three outings since winning at Fontwell in November. He has fewer questions than others regarding the trip, but it is easy to see why he is amongst the outsiders here.

Charlie Uberalles – 14/1 with bet365

Trainer: Diane Sayer

Jockey: Danny McMenamin

This solid performer from the Cumbria yard of Diane Sayer arrives on the back of a career-best win over this trip at Doncaster. A 4lb rise for that looks fair, particularly as the runner-up Docpickedme claimed the Great Yorkshire Handicap on his next outing.

Katate Dori – 8/1 with bet365

Trainer: Sam Thomas            

Jockey: Charlie Deutsch

Having landed his Bumper nicely at Market Rasen, Katate Dori failed to win any of his seven outings over hurdles. However, fences and a step up to 3m appear to have worked the oracle. Kicking off 2025 with back-to-back wins at Exeter and Chepstow, he again ran well when second off a mark of 122 in a 3m2f event at Wincanton. He’s up 3lb for that but may be open to further improvement on what will be only his fourth chase outing.

The Verdict

Hyland and 2023 winner Our Power boast solid claims but those slight concerns about the rain in the area just put us off at single-figure prices, whilst Lowry’s Bar would appreciate soft ground but needs to prove he stays this far.

Last time out winner Charlie Uberalles and the unexposed Katate Dori make the shortlist, whilst Deeper Blue is the most interesting of those available at bigger prices on his first start for David Pipe.

In a tricky heart, the one to carry our cash is the Paul Nicholls runner Golden Son. Now 1lb below his most recent winning rating, he caught our eye when getting his second wind last time out at this track and looks like a solid bet to hit the frame.

Recommended Bet: Golden Son each way @ 8/1 with Bet365

Paul Harrison

Falling in love with racing at a young age, Paul’s passion for sports and betting took him to Salford University, where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Business Economics with Gambling Studies. Having spent ten years in the employment of a leading bookmaker, Paul opted to go it alone and pursue his dream job as a freelance writer.