Saturday 22 February 2025
Ladbrokes Trophy Day
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LADBROKES TROPHY DAY
Saturday 22 February 2025
As the Cheltenham Festival and Grand National get ever-closer those looking for some final clues will be paying close attention to Ladbrokes Trophy Day at Kempton Park Racecourse on Saturday 22 February.
Join us for an exhilarating seven race card featuring four GRADED races which includes the LADBROKES TROPHY HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE. The race is synonymous with horses that have gone on to Cheltenham Festival and Grand National glory.
Plus, expect music throughout the day from fantastic roaming quartet Brass Squad AND we'll be rounding off the day with 60 minutes of live music after racing! i
Don't miss this high quality day out at Kempton Park!
Please note, we are aware of disruption on the M25 around Junction 10 on Saturday 22nd February. We recommend planning your journey in advance and allowing additional time for your journey.
Timings subject to change.
| START TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE |
|---|---|---|
| 1:15PM | THE HANDICAP HURDLE RACE (CLASS 3) | 2m 5f |
| 1:50PM | THE JUVENILE HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 2) | 2m |
| 2:27PM | THE NOVICES' STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (GRADE 2) | 2m 4f 110yds |
| 3:00PM | THE NOVICES' HURDLE RACE (CLASS 1) (Grade 2) | 2m |
| 3:37PM | THE TROPHY HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 1) (PREMIER HANDICAP) | 3M |
| 4:10PM | THE HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE (CLASS 2) |
2m 4f 110yds |
| 4:45PM | THE OPEN NATIONAL HUNT FLAT RACE (CLASS 3) | 2m |
With four Graded races, there is no shortage of quality on offer, as a quick look through the roll of honour for the LADBROKES TROPHY HANDICAP STEEPLE CHASE will demonstrate.
Not only did four-time King George VI Chase winner and 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Desert Orchid claim this race in 1990 but the three mile prize has also been used as a stepping stone to Grand National glory in the same year by both Rough Quest (1996) and Rhyme ‘n’ Reason (1988).
Running alongside the feature contest is the Grade Two ADONIS JUVENILE HURDLE RACE, which has been won by the likes of Zarkandar (2011), Penzance and Mysilv (1994), all of whom backed up their wins in the following month’s Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Grade Two DOVECOTE NOVICES' HURDLE RACE, and the Grade Two PENDIL NOVICES' STEEPLE CHASE complete the set of Graded race action on what promises to be a fascinating seven race card.
THE £150,000 LADBROKES TROPHY
HISTORY
The Ladbrokes Trophy originated as a three-mile handicap chase first staged at Kempton Park in 1949.
Over the years, the contest developed into one of the most competitive and prestigious handicap chases of the season with an impressive roll of honour. It carries Premier Handicap status.
Mont Tremblant (1952) went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup later that season, while Halloween (1955) defied 12st 6lb having previously landed Kempton Park’s Boxing Day highlight, the King George VI Chase, in 1952 and 1954.
Similarly, Frenchman’s Cove (1962), Titus Oates (1970) and Pendil (1973 & 1974) all also won the King George VI Chase. Most recently, the flying grey and four-time King George VI Chase hero, Desert Orchid, defied 12st 3lbs in 1990 to win the race a year after his famous Cheltenham Gold Cup success.
Two horses have used what is now The Ladbrokes Trophy as a springboard for Grand National success later in the same season – Rhyme 'n' Reason (1988) and Rough Quest (1996). Crisp, such a gallant runner-up to Red Rum in the 1973 Grand National following his bold front-running effort, had previously defied 12st to win the Kempton Park contest in 1972.
MULTIPLE WINNERS
TWO WINS
Docklands Express - 1991, 1992
Nacarat – 2009, 2012
LEADING JOCKEYS
FIVE WINS
Richard Johnson - Gloria Victis (2000), Young Spartacus (2001), Gunther McBride (2002), Farmer Jack (2005), Quinz (2011)
Among current jockeys, Paddy Brennan is the most successful with three victories courtesy of Razor Royale (2010), Nacarat (2012) and Theatre Guide (2016). Sam Twiston-Davies is the only other jockey currently riding to have enjoyed more than one success, having scored on Rocky Creek (2015), Walt (2019) and Our Power (2023).
LEADING TRAINERS
FOUR WINS
Peter Cazalet- Lochroe (1958), The Rip (1965), Kapeno (1966), Different Class (1968)
Philip Hobbs – Dr Leunt (1999), Gunther McBride (2002), Farmer Jack (2005), Quinz (2011)
In addition to Philip Hobbs, other current trainers to have saddled more than one winner of the race include Tom George, successful three times with Nacarat (2019 & 2012) plus Clondaw Castle (2021) plus Kim Bailey (Docklands Express 1991 & 1992), Neil Mulholland (Pilgrims Bay 2017 & Wait 2019) and Paul Nicholls (Gungadu 2008 & Rocky Creek 2015), who all saddled two winners.
OVERSEAS-TRAINED WINNERS
FRANCE (2): Val d'Alene (1995), Innox (2006). Both horses were trained by Francois Doumen.
AGE OF WINNERS
The oldest winners have been the 12 year olds Fort Devon (1978) and Marlborough (2004). At the other end of the scale, the youngest horses to succeed have been the six year olds Printers Pie (1950), Mont Tremblant (1952), Antonin (1994) and Gloria Victis (2000).
The overall age breakdown in the 23 runnings this century is:
6YO – 1 wins
7YO – 5 wins
8YO – 8 wins
9YO – 7 wins
10YO – 1 win
11YO – 1 win
12YO – 1 win
FIELD SIZE
The maximum permitted field size is 20 runners, which was last seen in 2009. The smallest field since 2000 has been 10 runners in 2019, 2012 and 2007.
BETTING
Favourites or joint-favourites have won just three of the 23 runnings this century – a 13 per cent strike rate. The shortest-priced winner in this period was Gloria Victis at 100-30 in 2000 while Bally Legend caused the biggest upset when scoring at 28-1 in 2014.
The Trophy – Roll of Honour (since 2000)
YEAR HORSE AGE/WGT OWNER TRAINER JOCKEY SP RAN
2024 Forward Plan 8 10-06 The Steeple Chasers Anthony Honeyball Ben Godfrey 15-2 12
2023 Our Power 8 10-08 Walters Plant Hire & Potter Group Sam Thomas Sam Twiston-Davies 11-2 13
2022 Cap Du Nord 9 10-00 The Can’t Say No Partnership Christian Williams Jack Tudor 13-2
2021 Clondaw Castle 9 11-08 French, McDermott, Nelson,Syder Tom George Johnny Burke 17-2 17
2020 Mister Malarky 7 11-00 Wendy & Malcolm Hezel Colin Tizzard Jonjo O’Neill Jr 9-1 14
2019 Walt 8 10-06 Phil Simmonds Neil Mulholland Sam Twiston-Davies 14-1 10
2018 Master Dee 9 11-05 Paul & Clare Rooney Fergal O'Brien Barry Geraghty 8-1 15
2017 Pilgrims Bay 7 10-02 Clifford, Gosden & House Neil Mulholland James Best 25-1 13
2016 Theatre Guide 9 10-06 Jean Bishop Colin Tizzard Paddy Brennan 6-1 15
2015 Rocky Creek 9 11–11 The Johnson & Stewart Families Paul Nicholls Sam Twiston-Davies 8-1 14
2014 Bally Legend 9 10-12 Brian Derrick Caroline Keevil Ian Popham 28-1 13
2013 Opening Batsman 7 10-05 The Twelfth Man Partnership Harry Fry Noel Fehily 12-1 13
2012 Nacarat 11 11-08 Simon Clarke Tom George Paddy Brennan 9-2 10
2011 Quinz 7 11-00 Andrew Cohen Philip Hobbs Richard Johnson 8-1 16
2010 Razor Royale 8 10-05 Colin Cornes Nigel Twiston-Davies Paddy Brennan 11-1 13
2009 Nacarat 8 10–13 Simon Clarke Tom George A P McCoy 10-1 20
2008 Gungadu 8 11–12 Paul Barber & Maggie Findlay Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 4-1F 15
2007 Simon 8 11-05 Mercy Rimell John Spearing Andrew Thornton 11-2 10
2006 Innox 10 11-00 J P McManus François Doumen FR A P McCoy 8-1 15
2005 Farmer Jack 9 11–12 Peter Partridge Philip Hobbs Richard Johnson 5-1 16
2004 Marlborough 12 11–12 Sir Robert Ogden Nicky Henderson Ruby Walsh 8-1 11
2003 La Landiere 8 11-07 Carol Skan Richard Phillips Warren Marston 5-1JF 14
2002 Gunther McBride 7 10-03 Mike Tuckey Philip Hobbs Richard Johnson 5-1 14
2001 Young Spartacus 8 11-03 Bart Hellyer Henry Daly Richard Johnson 9-1 15
2000 Gloria Victis 6 11–10 Terry Neill Martin Pipe Richard Johnson 100-30F 13
