Osana Tops Ladbroke Weights

The David Pipe-trained Osana tops the weights on 11st 12lb for The Ladbroke, the £150,000 handicap hurdle run over two miles at Ascot on Saturday, December 22.

Osana also continues to head the market at 8/1 with Ladbrokes and, if successful, would set a weight-carrying record in The Ladbroke. Since its inception in 1987, the highest weight carried to victory was the 11st 9lb shouldered by Acambo, also trained by Pipe, 12 months ago.

The Nicholashayne trainer also has Laustra Bad on 10st 11lb in The Ladbroke, a race his now-retired father Martin won with Desert Air in 2005 and Tamarinbleu in 2004.

Always a hugely competitive event, 54 of the 62 entries are in the handicap this year and the race promises to be as strongly contested as ever.

Trainer Laura Mongan is hoping that the rain stays away from Ascot as she prepares to pitch her smart novice Alsadaa (10st 11lb, 25/1) in against seasoned campaigners in The Ladbroke.

The four-year-old has won three of his four starts over hurdles - he took an uncharacteristic tumble at Kempton in October - including a course and distance triumph on November 3, when he defied a 10lb penalty to defeat Counting House by a length.

Mongan revealed today: 'Alsadaa will probably go to The Ladbroke as that is what we are aiming for but it all depends on the ground. We missed out at Sandown at the weekend when the ground went against us, so we thought we would hang on and see what happens at Ascot and that is now the aim.

'He wants as good ground as he can get - I don't think he wants very fast ground but we don't want to be running on really soft going. If he is to get his ground anywhere then it should be at Ascot as it seems to drain well there.'

The Epsom-based handler, who is married to Flat jockey Ian Mongan, took stewardship of Alsadaa in July and saddled the well-bred gelding to impressive wins at Huntingdon and Plumpton. Trained at two and three by John Gosden, the Kingmambo gelding, who is a close relation to the top-class Gay Gallanta and Sportsworld, scored his sole victory on the Flat for Mick Easterby in a Southwell handicap in April.

Mongan continued: 'He has been a bit of a revelation since we got him in the summer. He hasn't stopped improving and we just have to keep him ticking over as we wait for better ground.

'He enjoys hurdling and he loves getting his own way. We have been letting him run along in front and he seems to enjoy that. Every time he has gone and got his head in front on the track it has given him more confidence.

'I think he loves Ascot. It is a flat track and he enjoyed it when he won there. He was carrying a 10lb penalty and he did it nicely enough with that so there is no reason for him not to take his chance in a big race like The Ladbroke.

'I think he has the improvement in him to get amongst the principals. He just needs to get his own way and be able to run along in front. I don't know if he will be able to do that in that sort of company but I hope so, and he deserves to be there.

'Colin Bolger rides him again. He has done very well and knows the horse well so I will stay loyal to him.'

Indian Pace, trained in Ireland by John Kiely, has been allotted 10st 5lb and is trading as the 9/1 clear second favourite. He is currently number 42 in the handicap and, with a maximum permitted field size of 18 on the day, connections will have to endure an agonising wait to see if he makes the cut for the Grade Three contest which is the joint-richest handicap hurdle of this season.

However, Jayo, the 10/1 co-third favourite is assured a run, having been handed 10st 13lb. He is one of three Willie Mullins-trained entries along with Visio (11st 1lb, 10/1) and Deutschland (11st 1lb, 14/1).

The other 10/1 co-third favourites are Missis Potts, (11st), a winner over the course and distance on November 23, and Ring The Boss (11st), an impressive scorer at Sandown on December 8. Both Missis Potts and Ring The Boss are trained by Somerset-based Philip Hobbs, who also has French Saulaie (11st 2lb, 12/1), Chiaro (10st 8lb, 40/1) and Esprit de Corps (10st, 16/1) engaged.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has yet to add The Ladbroke to his illustrious CV, but holds three chances this year with Gwanko (11st 10lb, 20/1), Poquelin (11st 1lb, 25/1) and Twist Magic, recent winner of the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown, who is only on 10st 5lb but looks an unlikely starter at this stage.

An interesting contender could prove to be the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Mountain. Beaten under seven lengths when eighth to Sir Percy in the 2006 Epsom Derby when trained by Ireland's champion handler Aidan O'Brien, he won at Sandown last season and seemed unsuited by the soft ground on his reappearance at Cheltenham. He has been allotted 10st 9lb and is rated a 14/1 chance.

Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: 'Esprit De Corps has been the horse for money this week.

'The Irish gamble hasn´t yet materialised in full but we are fully braced.

'Of the market leaders, Missis Potts is probably the best backed. The course and distance form has worked out pretty well and punters have wasted little time in taking the double figures still available.'