Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase
Grade 3 Handicap,
Kempton Park 15:35
£150,000 guaranteed,
5yo plus, 3m, Class 1    
Saturday 21st February 2026

BetPlay

1 Lookaway 3/1F
2 The Doyen Chief 14/1
3 Kdeux Saint Fray 6/1
13 ran Distances: 2l, ½l, 2¼l
Time: 6m 2.25s (slow by 6.25s)

Support in the market can whisper; occasionally it roars. For Lookaway, the noise built steadily through the morning exchanges before reaching a crescendo at the off, the double-figure prices long gone and 3-1 favourite the final verdict. By the time the race reached its denouement, that confidence had been emphatically vindicated.

Neil King has long regarded the nine-year-old as a horse out of the ordinary. A Grade Two bumper winner on Grand National day and runner-up in the Challow Hurdle as a novice, Lookaway has carried expectation before. Here, stepping up to three miles for the first time, he was asked a new question.

Kempton, on drying ground, provided the ideal examination. His jumping, always a strength, took on an added sharpness. Several fences were met on a perfect stride, but it was the final obstacle that sealed the matter: a bold, fluent leap that created just enough daylight to repel the persistent challenge of The Doyen Chief, who was kept at bay by two lengths, with Kdeux Saint Fray staying on for third.

Last year’s winner Katate Dori was unable to dominate as he had twelve months earlier, though he plugged on past beaten rivals to finish just shy of the places.

For Jack Quinlan, it was the culmination of patience and partnership. “He’s been incredible, I don’t have many like him, he’s got a big place in my heart now,” he said.

“We’re lucky to have him, we’ve had him a number of years and if you have one of these your name is in the papers isn’t it? It’s been a long-term plan to come here today and hopefully we’re not done yet.

“He’s got such a will to win, he loves nothing more than putting the others to the sword. He so used to getting into a war on the front end, and if you change tactics it can upset the apple cart a little bit. Luckily I nice tow the whole way and he saw it out well.

“We were confident he would stay, we thought Kempton on drying ground was the place to do it.

“We all need big winners on a Saturday so this is special.”

King’s pride was equally palpable. “I just adore the horse and live for the horse.

“We’ve had a few struggles with the horse over the last couple of years, so to get this result…

“Mr (Peter) Beadles is such a wonderful owner, and I have three lovely horses for him. Storming George disappointed in the previous race but this kind of makes up for it.

“Sadly, we are down on numbers like a lot of people but let’s hope this horse can draw a few more in.”

There was a sense that this was more than the winning of a valuable Saturday handicap. It was the realisation of a long-held plan, the confirmation that stamina could be added to an already willing armoury. On a track that rewards precision and pace in equal measure, Lookaway delivered both — and, in doing so, justified the faith of those who never stopped believing.

Ladbrokes Trophy Handicap Chase
£150,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m, Class 1
13 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Soft in places

POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1    Lookaway 9 11-2 Neil King Jack Quinlan 3/1F
2 2 The Doyen Chief 9 11-2 Alan King Tom Bellamy 14/1
3 ½ Kdeux Saint Fray 6 10-6 Anthony Honeyball Sam Twiston-Davies 6/1
4 2¼ Gustavian 11 10-12 Anthony Honeyball Rex Dingle 66/1
5 2¼ Soul Icon 9 11-6 Keiran Burke Rian Corcoran 22/1
6 ¾ Hoe Joly Smoke 8 10-8 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton 7/1
7 4¼ Rising Dust 8 10-4 Emmet Mullins Sean Bowen 17/2
8 ½ Katate Dori 8 10-13 Sam Thomas Dylan Johnston 5/1
9 14 Henry's Friend 9 11-8 Ben Pauling Ben Jones 18/1
10 24 Deep Cave 8 11-4 Christian Williams Jack Tudor 18/1
11 7½ Chance Another One 7 10-8 Emmet Mullins Donagh Meyler 11/2
12 6 Boombawn 9 12-0 Dan Skelton Harry Atkins 40/1
FELL Leader In The Park 8 10-8 Ben Pauling Harry Cobden 14/1

BoyleSports