Iroko and Kandoo Kid lead Kempton Trophy contenders

Grand National hopefuls Iroko and Kandoo Kid are prominent in the betting for Saturday’s Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase at Kempton.

The £150,000 feature has a rich history and Grand National legends such as Crisp, Rhyme N’ Reason and Rough Quest have their names on the roll of honour.

Other National Hunt stalwarts like Desert Orchid, Docklands Express and Pendil, who has a race named in his honour on the card, were also previous winners.

Iroko, owned by JP McManus and trained by Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, heads the betting with Coral at 3-1 with Paul Nicholls’ Kandoo Kid, winner of the Coral Gold Cup first time out this season, available at 8-1.

Nicholls ended a 12-month Grade One drought at Ascot on Saturday when Pic D’Orhy repeated his victory in the Ascot Chase, but he is still not completely convinced all his horses are running true to form.

“The idea is to give Kandoo Kid a run on Saturday,” he told his Betfair Ditcheat Diary.

“It’s six weeks from Aintree, the ground is good and that will do him the world of good towards his prep for the National, we’re very happy with him.

“As I’ve said, some of the horses aren’t right so everything is going to be tested, trach-washed before they run. We want to get it right and know where we are.

“I think over the next fortnight things will start turning around a little bit, so really looking forward to this weekend.”

Beachcomber, Charlie Uberalles, Hyland and Lowry’s Bar are also among the 18 confirmed entries.

Nicky Henderson has both Lulamba and Palladium in the Ladbrokes Adonis Juvenile Hurdle.

The Seven Barrows handler had been intending to run his €1.4million purchase Palladium having initially thought Lulamba did not need any more experience, but he has given himself the option of running.

There are eight entries in the Ladbrokes Pendil Novices’ Chase, headed by Henderson’s Jingko Blue, who unseated his rider at Ascot on Saturday.

Jessica Harrington’s Ashdale Bob could make the journey from Ireland, Nicholls has Rubaud with smart handicapper Imperial Saint another possible.

In the Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle, the Stuart Edmonds-trained Miami Magic sets the standard based on his second at Aintree on Boxing Day in the Formby Novices’ Hurdle.

Improvers like Starcrossed Lovers, Tripoli Flyer and Roysse add further interest to the contest.