Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase
Grade 3 Handicap,
Newbury 15:00
£250,000 added, 4yo plus,
3m 1f 214y, Class 1  
Saturday 30th November 2019

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1 De Rasher Counter 12/1
2 The Conditional 20/1
3 Elegant Escape 15/2
3 Beware The Bear 25/1
24 ran Distances: 1½l, ½l, nk
Time: 6m 27.40s (fast by 3.60s)

Emma Lavelle saw her crack staying hurdler Paisley Park return in style on Friday – and a day later was in the headlines again as 5lb claimer Ben Jones showed just why he is regarded as one of the riding finds of the season.

After hiding his mount for more than half of the race, Jones moved closer and was to the fore from five out.

De Rasher Counter set sail for home in the long straight and had enough in hand to hold The Conditional (20-1) by a length and a half. 

Last year’s runner-up Elegant Escape stayed on strongly for third place, half a length away, with Beware The Bear a neck back in fourth. 

West Approach, the 13-2 favourite, unseated Robbie Power early on, while the fancied Irish-trained Cabaret Queen was pulled up after six out. 

Lavelle said: “It’s just unbelievable. I’m so proud of what Ben has done on him and so proud of the team.

“There were a few sore heads after (Paisley Park winning) yesterday. I can’t imagine what it will be like after today.

“I’m so proud of everybody, I really am, that we have been able to get these horses right for the big day this weekend. It’s close to home and is so special for everybody.

“We are lucky we have got amazing owners. We have patient owners that let the horses develop. We could have taken this horse to Cheltenham last season, but mentally we didn’t think he was ready for it and the owners were prepared to wait with this being the target.

“It is just magical when it comes off, as so often it doesn’t. I can’t believe it.”

Reflecting on the ride of Jones, the Andover trainer said: “It is that innocence of youth, although that is probably the wrong word, but when you are young and you don’t know what can go wrong at this stage of your life, you are just riding at the top of your game – that is what he was doing.

“Barry (husband and assistant trainer) said he was riding on instinct. I really can’t believe it – how has this just happened?”

Asked about future plans for the winner, who is part-owned by Paisley Park’s owner Andrew Gemmell, who has been blind since birth, Lavelle said: “We will see how he is after today and see what the handicapper does to him, then make a plan.

“It (Grand National) is something we have spoken about, but he is only a second-season chaser. It would be too soon, but come back to me with some other ideas and we will see what we do.”

Jones, 20, said: “This horse is so game. I thought I might have got there a bit too early, but luckily he kept galloping and jumping. He loved it.

“I can’t thank Emma, Barry Fenton and the team enough, just to trust me to ride this horse in the race – let alone do what I’ve done. I owe it to them.”

Ladbrokes Trophy (Grade 3 Handicap)
£250,000 added, 4yo plus, 3m 1f 214y, Class 1
24 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    De Rasher Counter 7 11-1 Emma Lavelle Ben Jones 12/1
2 1½ The Conditional 7 10-3 David Bridgwater Brendan Powell 20/1
3 ½ Elegant Escape 7 11-12 Colin Tizzard Harry Cobden 15/2
4 nk Beware The Bear 9 11-10 Nicky Henderson Jeremiah McGrath 25/1
5 6 Dingo Dollar 7 10-12 Alan King Tom Cannon 12/1
6 3 Mister Malarky 6 11-2 Colin Tizzard Jonjo O'Neill Jr 14/1
7 6 Joe Farrell 10 10-10 Rebecca Curtis Leighton Aspell 25/1
8 4½ Brave Eagle 7 11-10 Nicky Henderson James Bowen 20/1
9 nk Walt 6 8 10-5 4ex Neil Mulholland James Best 40/1
10 ½ Borice 8 10-13 Gordon Elliott Daryl Jacob 12/1
11 2¼ Daklondike 7 10-13 David Pipe Tom Scudamore 25/1
12 3 Yala Enki 9 11-7 1 Paul Nicholls Bryony Frost 25/1
13 12 Some Chaos 8 10-11 Michael Scudamore Ben Poste 40/1
14 3½ Le Musee 6 10-13 Nigel Hawke David Noonan 100/1
15 8 OK Corral 9 11-3 Nicky Henderson Aidan Coleman 9/1
16 17 Two Taffs 9 10-12 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 20/1
17 1½ Commodore 7 10-1 Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch 25/1
F Yorkhill 9 11-6 W P Mullins Brian Hayes 25/1
PU Regal Encore 11 10-9 Anthony Honeyball Richie McLernon 25/1
PU Robinsfirth 10 11-5 Colin Tizzard Sean Bowen 25/1
PU Shantou Village 9 10-8 Neil Mulholland Robert Dunne 40/1
PU Cabaret Queen 7 10-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 8/1
PU On The Blind Side 7 11-1 Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 81
UR (7th) West Approach 9 10-12 4ex Colin Tizzard Robbie Powerr 13/2F