Total Recall in Ladbrokes Trophy mix American and Total Recall are two of the headline acts among 60 entries for the Ladbrokes Trophy at Newbury on December 2. The Grade Three handicap - formerly known as the Hennessy Gold Cup - carries a total prize fund of 250,000 pounds, making it the second richest handicap chase in Britain after Grand National at Aintree. Harry Fry's American is the 8-1 joint-favourite with the sponsors along with the Willie Mullins-trained Total Recall, who dominated his rivals on his first start for the champion trainer in the Munster National at Limerick. Fry said: " We have been very happy with American and the Ladbrokes Trophy is very much his target. "We are looking forward to December 2 as he looks to have the right sort of profile for the race. "Second-season chasers have a good record in the Ladbrokes Trophy and he was a very good novice who did nothing wrong last season. "The left-handed, galloping track at Newbury should suit him well and hopefully he gets the soft ground that he enjoys. "He will have to graft to be ready first time out for a race like this, so he will be going away for a racecourse gallop in the build-up. "As things stand, American is right on target." Total Recall is o ne of five entries for Mullins along with Acapella Bourgeois, Childrens List, Pleasant Company and Polidam. "It is great that Ladbrokes have generously sponsored the two-day meeting in December at Newbury. There is good prize money on offer and we hope to be in the running for some of it," said Mullins. "We have five horses entered in the Ladbrokes Trophy, including the Munster National winner Total Recall." Another leading Irish trainer with five contenders is Gordon Elliott, while Noel Meade has three possible runners. Major hopes for the home team include Mark Bradstock's 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Coneygree and the Alan King-trained Smad Place, who won the race two years ago and proved he is no back number when making a successful reappearance in last Sunday's Old Roan Chase at Aintree. Weights for the Ladbrokes Trophy are unveiled on Tuesday, November 7.
