The feature race at Newbury on Saturday is the 3m 2f Grade 3 ladbrokes Trophy (15:00), and OK Corral looks to hold leading claims of providing trainer Nicky Henderson with a fourth winner of the prestigious contest.
This nine-year-old, who sports the famous green and gold hooped colours of leading Irish owner JP McManus, was a top class hurdler who finished a fine runner-up in the Albert Bartlett at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival.
Whatever the strapping son of Mahler achieved over the smaller obstacles was always going to be a bonus.
OK Corral quickly took to fences like a duck to water in winning his first two starts last season.
In the first of hose at Plumpton, he jumped well apart from making a blunder at the 12th to very easily beat Impulsive Star by 2 1/4 lengths.
The runner-up went on to land the valuable Grade 3 Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick to give the form a solid look.
OK Corral then landed a Listed contest in ultra-impressive fashion at Warwick by six lengths from Secret Investor. It was a performance which oozed class.
Good record fresh
That saw OK Corral sent off a well-backed 4/1 second-favourite for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham when last seen in action back in March.
However, he was never travelling at any stage and, after weakening badly three from home, wisely pulled-up before the next. It was a run which was too bad to be true.
Henderson subsequently revealed that OK Corral had been hit by the outbreak of equine flu in February and felt he had not recovered in time from the vaccination.
He has reportedly been working well ahead of his return to action in this and has an excellent record fresh, so fitness is unlikely to be an issue with the yard going well at present.
OK Corral is also a second season chase and they have a fine record in the Ladbrokes Trophy.
With further improvement looking assured after just three starts over fences, he thus looks the one to be on in this at the 6/1 on offer with William Hill.
Elegant Escape bids to go one better in Ladbrokes Trophy
Elegant Escape finished a fine runner-up in the race 12 months ago and looks set to make a bold bid to go one better following an excellent reappearance run.
Trained by Colin Tizzard, this seven-year-old is a really consistent sort who has won four of his 18 starts over fences and also made the frame on six occasions.
After winning a Listed contest on seasonal bow last season, he stayed on well to finish a 10-length second of 12 to Sizing Tennessee in this.
Elegant Escape then resumed winning ways when staying on strongly to get the better of Ramses De Teillee by 1 1/4 lengths in the Coral Welsh National.
He next ran a cracker when a three-quarters of a length runner-up to subsequent Ryanair winner Frodon in the Grade 2 Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham.
The son of Dubai Destination was then far from disgraced when sixth of 16 to Al Boum Photo in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, before failing to shine at the Aintree Grand National Festival after what had been a tough season.
However, there was lots to like about his return to action at Wetherby earlier in the month when staying on powerfully to go down by 3 3/4 lengths to Ballyoptic in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase off an official rating of 160.
Elegant Escape now drops back into handicap company off an unchanged mark, so that gives him every chance from a handicapping perspective – despite having to shoulder top weight.
So, at 12/1 with the sponsors, a big run looks on the cards and he looks a leading each-way Ladbrokes Trophy contender.
Mister Malarky another contender for Tizzard
West country handler Tizzard also saddles another very interesting contender in the shape of Mister Malarky, who can be backed at 9/1 with Betfred.
This six-year-old progressed throughout last season when winning three of his six starts and posting some solid efforts in defeat.
In the last of those successes, he stayed on dourly to beat Now McGinty by 1 1/2 lengths in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Chase at Ascot.
Connections then pitched Mister Malarky into the Grade 1 RSA at the Cheltenham Festival. He was far from disgraced in finishing a keeping 18 1/4 lengths fourth of 12 to Topofthegame in what looked a very strong renewal of the 3m contest.
As our Ladbrokes Trophy stats guide reveals, that race has been a key trial for this contest and Mister Malarky also ticks plenty of other boxes as far as trends are concerned.
He then went on to round off the campaign with a fine five-length second of 18 to the well-treated Kildisart in a Grade 3 handicap chase at the Aintree Grand National Festival off a mark of 147.
A 3lb rise in the weights for that looks more than fair. Although Mister Malarky failed to shine off his current rating of 150 when a well-beaten 12th of 16 to Vinndication in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot, he never got into a jumping rhythm at any stage.
He is entitled to come on for that spin. This galloping track, where Mister Malarky has won once and been placed once in three starts, clearly plays to his strengths.
Tizzard also has a good recent Ladbrokes Trophy record, so Mister Malarkey is another that looks to hold solid each-way claims.
Dingo Dollar appeals each-way in Ladbrokes Trophy
Of those at bigger odds, Dingo Dollar looks weighted to go well in a typically fierce renewal.
This Alan King trained seven-year-old ran very well in this contest 12 months ago when racing up with the pace until weakening after the second last, and then plugging on again to finish a 17 lengths third to Sizing Tennessee off a mark of 148.
He is now able to race off 2lb lower and now meets aforementioned runner-up Elegant Escape, who finished seven lengths in front of him, on 7lb better terms.
That suggests that there is little to choose between the pair. He is also better off at the weights with Beware The Bear (12lb) and West Approach (6lb) who were in-behind last year.
Dingo Dollar comes into this Ladbrokes Trophy renewal having shaped well on seasonal reappearance when a staying on third in a handicap hurdle at this venue.
Connections were clearly at pains to protect his chase mark, suggesting that they believe he is well handicapped.
That spin should have blown away the cobwebs and put Dingo Dollar spot on for this. Resolute gallopers who like to race prominently also have a good record in the Ladbrokes Trophy.
Dingo Dollar fits that bill. He also has a good record over the trip having won once and been placed twice from just four starts over it.
So, at 14/1 with Betfair, Dingo Dollar also features as another potential each-way punt and thus concludes this 2019 Ladbrokes Trophy preview.
