Al Eile Tops Trophy Weights

Al Eile heads 26 runners declared for the Grade Three totesport Trophy at Newbury on Saturday.

The John Queally-trained six-year-old will have to shoulder 11st 12lbs in the competitive handicap and will be giving over a stone to Admiral, who is next in the weights on 10st 11lbs.

Penzance, the Paul Nicholls-trained pair of Natal and Noland and Martin Pipe's duo Acambo and Nous Voila have also stood their ground.

Queally had hoped to book Timmy Murphy to partner his Haydock Champion Hurdle Trial winner but with the jockey being claimed by David Johnson to ride Nous Voila, Barry Geraghty has been handed the mount.

Nous Voila forms part of a five-strong hand for Martin Pipe, which also includes Desert Air, Acambo, Miss Academy and Buena Vista.

The latter chased home the John Hales-owned Noland when finishing third on his most recent outing in December, with Noland having gone on to stroll home in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown.

Hales told At The Races: 'He is very well and ready to go, but I am more concerned that the meeting could possibly be off.

'If he doesn't run on Saturday I have agreed with Paul Nicholls that he will go to Exeter on Sunday.'

However, Hales is slightly worried about the flat track at Newbury for his five-year-old.

'I have reservations ? he has a great weight and I think he is a physically very strong horse and his last two wins have been up a hill at Sandown and up a hill at Cheltenham.

'Two miles around Newbury is two miles whereas two miles around Cheltenham and Sandown is that little bit further and that is where his power comes in.'

Nicholls also has reservations and is concerned about the drying ground.

He told Racing UK: 'I wouldn't want the ground drying up or getting any quicker for him.

'He stays very well and you could argue in some ways he would be better going two and a half miles ? if it was good to soft ground then I would be happy.'

Natal will also take his place for the stable having come home fourth behind Feathard Lady in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle.

Nicholls added: 'He jumps nicely, will like the ground has a nice light weight.'

Penzance has been well supported all week and attracted further support following the final declaration stage, with Coral cutting him to 6-1 from 7s.

Totesport Trophy, Coral bet: 6-1 Penzance, 13-2 Al Eile, 8-1 Nous Voila, 9-1 Noland, 10-1 Chief Yeoman, 12-1 Natal, 16-1 Acambo, Buena Vista, Desert Air, 20-1 Arch Rebel, Briareus, Only Vintage, 22-1 Dom D'Orgeval, 25-1 Manorson, Distant Prospect, Royal Paradise, Tramantano, 33-1 Whispered Promises, Caracciola, Cherub, Dusky Warbler, 40-1 Admiral, Hawadeth, Perle De Puce, 50-1 Cloudy Grey, Miss Academy

? PA Sport