Recall & Genie all set for Ladbrokes Trophy Total Recall bids to put the record straight for Willie Mullins by providing him with a first victory in the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on Saturday. It is 15 years since the Mullins-trained Be My Royal passed the post in front in the race, formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup, but he was later disqualified after a banned substance caused by contaminated food was discovered in his sample. Ireland's perennial champion trainer has since saddled several horses in the prestigious handicap without success, but Total Recall appears a particularly strong candidate, having made a hugely impressive debut for the yard in the Munster National at Limerick in October. Mullins said: "You need a lot of luck in these big handicaps, which we had last time (at Limerick). "It's very hard to win two big handicaps in a row but Total Recall is doing everything right at home and I don't know if the handicapper has caught up with him or not. "Everything went well for him at Limerick. He came through and won very handily in the end. "It's a huge test, three miles plus around Newbury. If he is good enough you needs loads of stamina in that race and we think he has that." The Closutton handler has an interesting second string in Pleasant Company, who has not been seen since finishing ninth in the Grand National at Aintree in April. "He is in great form. He is definitely an each-way player," Mullins added. The pre-Christmas highlight has not been kind to Irish trainers since Bright Highway lifted the prize in 1980. But another man hoping to stop the rot is Noel Meade, whose A Genie In Abottle has already won twice this season at Galway and Wexford. Meade said: "He's in good form. He did a little bit of work on Tuesday and I was very happy with him. I just hope he has enough gears for it. "I've had a few runners in the race and often your race is over by the time you get to the end of the back straight. If you don't get into a nice rhythm over the first few fences you're on the back foot. "A Genie In Abottle is better on a galloping track and he's a good jumper, so Newbury could suit him well." Nicky Henderson, who has won the race with Trabolgan (2005), Bobs Worth (2012) and Triolo D'Alene (2013), fires a twin assault with Whisper and Vyta Du Roc. Whisper made a successful start to his campaign in a two-runner race at Kempton, while Vyta Du Roc blew away the cobwebs by finishing fifth over hurdles at Aintree. The Seven Barrows handler said: "Whisper was great last year. He had a great time the whole way through before he bumped into Might Bite twice, otherwise he would have won two Grade Ones. He does deserve to win a real good race. "I thought Vyta Du Rock ran very nicely at Aintree and he comes into this race in brilliant form. "He has got stamina in abundance, that's for sure." The Harry Fry-trained American has had this race as his major objective ever since he extended his unbeaten record over fences to three at Uttoxeter in March. Fry said: " He did nothing wrong last season over fences. He was very good at Warwick and at Uttoxeter on his last start. "It's a big ask coming to a race like this first time out, but that's why he's been to Wincanton and Newbury (for racecourse gallops). "We are happy with where he is and when he's right, he's very good."
