2019 Victory: Andrew Gemmell (owner),Paisley Park, Laura Scrivener, Aidan ColemanSam Spinner, runner-up to Paisley Park in last year’s Stayers’ Hurdle, returns to hurdles for only the second time since the 2019 Cheltenham Festival for a renewal of the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle that features the last two winners of this three mile crown.
A total of 19 horses have held their ground for the 2020 Ladbrokes Trophy (Saturday, 28 November) following the five-day confirmation stage, with David Bridgwater’s The Conditional and Scottish raider, Aye Right currently joint favourite with the sponsors at 7/1, for what is shaping up to be another highly competitive renewal of the famous handicap.
2019 Ladbrokes gallop: Paisley Park (Barry Fenton - blue cap) & De Rasher Counter (Adam Wedge) lead the way up Newbury's straightThe countdown to the Ladbrokes Winter Carnival starts on Tuesday, 17 November at Newbury Racecourse as the official Gallops morning takes place with key contenders ahead of the Grade 3 Ladbrokes Trophy - which will be run on Saturday, 28 November 2020.
2019: De Rasher Counter & Ben Jones won the Ladbrokes Trophy2019's winning trainer Emma Lavelle is looking forward to running De Rasher Counter in this year’s £200,000 Ladbrokes Trophy on Saturday, 28 November, for which 39 entries are revealed today (28 October 2020).
Tim Price competing on Wesko at Pau's CCI5*-L last year (Photo courtesy Libby Law Photography/ESNZ)The coronavirus pandemic has hit the international sport of eventing hard. But there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the first - and only - CCI5* competition of the year at Les Etoiles de Pau in France this week and Marlborough-based New Zealanders Jonelle and Tim Price are in a strong position to bring home prizes.
It’s been a turbulent year for eventing’s newest power couple, who are based near Ramsbury. COVID-19 has not only put Jesse’s Tokyo Olympic campaign on hold, but also interrupted their wedding plans. It is now in the diary for November.