Scilly Isles Novices' Chase: guide to all the possible runners

You would have imagined the top Irish trainers would be fully focused on this weekend’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown, when a two-day bonanza will feature eight Grade One contests.

However, the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown Park has not slipped their notice. Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott and Gavin Cromwell all have possible runners.

The track remained waterlogged in places on Tuesday, but there are less issues on the Chase course. Consequently, a six-race all Chase programme is being created as an option if the Hurdle Course is unraceable. 

Here’s a guide to the seven possible runners in the feature. 

Timeform rating: 159+. Best odds: 11-2. 

It was desperate to hear on Tuesday that The Jukebox Man has been ruled out for the season. Ben Pauling will be hoping the handsome Handstands can help fill the void and he has also made his mark over the larger obstacles, gaining successive Grade Two wins over 3m here (jumped well) and at Ffos Las (jumped less well in a 2m 3f race that fell apart). 

He’s going to be up against tougher opposition here, although he already has one verdict over Jango Baie, having beaten him in the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon last season, albeit when in receipt of 5lb. 

Don’t read much into him being the odd one out, by not being entered for the top novice chases at the Cheltenham Festival. He trailed home last in the Gallagher Novices' Hurdle last season – his only defeat when competing - and connections don’t seem keen on a repeat visit. 

Timeform rating: 166p. Odds: 7-4. 

The best hurdler in this field has taken well to fences and is going to take plenty of stopping if heading to Sandown instead of this weekend. Willie Mullins, successful with a rare runner in this race in 2015, does have plenty of riches in the latter race. 

Unlike several in this field, he had no point-to-point background, but he was an emphatic winner on his chasing bow at Fairyhouse in late November (the distant fourth Answer To Kayf gave a nod to the form when easily scoring off a mark of 130 last Sunday) and he then won the Grade One Faugheen Novice Chase in ready fashion at Limerick over Christmas. There was nothing particularly flashy about that display but he was firmly in command by the finish. 

The 2023 Gallagher Novices' Hurdle winner did not fulfil hopes that he might be a Champion Hurdle contender last term, but when moving back up in. trip he scooped a Grade One success at Aintree before following up in the Select Hurdle here at Sandown. This trip looks his optimum, although it wouldn’t be a surprise if connections explored 3m with him at Cheltenham in March. 

Timeform rating: 165p. Odds: 5-2. 

Jango Baie was a smart novice hurdler last season, although he was probably fortunate to win an ordinary Grade One at Aintree and he ended the campaign with three successive defeats; including at the hands of Handstands at Huntingdon and in handicap company at Aintree, when probably unfortunate not to collect off a mark of 139. 

He impressed when winning on his chasing debut at Cheltenham, jumping fluently and staying on stoutly to pull away from Springwell Bay and Caldwell Potter in the closing stages, although he was getting weight from that pair. The runner-up, who was conceding 8lb, did his bit for the form when subsequently being a commanding winner of a Cheltenham handicap off a mark of 145. 

This six-year-old has plenty to find (officially 17lb) with Impaire Et Passe judged on their hurdling exploits, but it could be that he is simply going to make a better chaser. The stable last won this with Terrefort in 2018, and he went on to finish second at the Cheltenham Festival. 

Timeform rating: 149+. Odds: 25-1. 

Looks the weak link of the field, even though he jumped nimbly when landing a Grade Two event on his belated chasing debut at Ascot in December. 

That four-runner event looked a thin race for the level and the eight-year-old is not open to anything like the improvement of the opposition, having previously had 32 runs on the Flat and over hurdles. 

The Moore team is also having a quiet month, having had only three winners from 58 runners (Flat and Jumps). 

Timeform rating: 168p. Odds: 4-1. 

After his worst December since 2018, in terms of winners, Paul Nicholls is enduring his leanest January (three winners from 33 runners) since 2018. 

The multiple champion trainer will be hoping Kalif Du Berlais can give him a boost by giving him his first success in this race since he landed four successive renewals (2006-09). He clearly holds him in the highest regard, with his entries including the Queen Mother Champion Chase. 

The five-year-old suffered a nasty tumble on his chasing bow at Carlisle but put that behind him when landing a Newbury handicap before outclassing two rivals at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day. I can’t shake the fact that he did not have much to spare at Newbury, when winning off a rating of 135, and that he’s in deeper waters here, albeit he gets a 4lb weight-for-age allowance. 

Timeform rating: 158. Odds: 16-1. 

Has always looked the type to do better over fences and it was a little puzzling that connections opted to keep him over hurdles for a second season, albeit he retained his novice status and so had a stack of options. 

He did land a couple of Grade Three contests before joining a small band of horses to have twice come up short in the same Cheltenham Festival novice hurdle (in his case the Albert Bartlett). 

Search For Glory has made a satisfactory start over fences, but it again looks like he’s going to come short at the top level. He put up a bold show in the Faugheen Novice Chase in ready fashion at Limerick last time but was no match for Impaire Et Passe in the closing stages. Like his conqueror, he’s also entered at Leopardstown this weekend. 

Timeform rating: 163p. Odds: 8-1. 

Made in inauspicious start over fences when falling in her first two point-to-points but the penny has clearly dropped as she’s won both her races over the larger obstacles this term in taking style and will seek to become the first mare in a decade to take this prize. 

She cruised home in a Grade Two event for mares at Cork last time, when proving far too strong for Nara. This looks Plan B for her, though, as she had been declared to run in another Grade Two for mares at Thurles last week, only to be scratched because of the good ground. In her absence, Nara took the spoils. 

There will be no chance of underfoot conditions being a problem this weekend, but the trip could be, as Only By Night disappointed the only previous time she ran beyond 2m. Taking on the boys will also be a tougher assignment. 

All seven entries have made encouraging starts to their respective careers over fences. IMPAIRE ET PASSE was on a different level over hurdles and, whileit is early days, could yet reach the same level over the larger obstacles. He would have to get the vote ahead of Jango Baie and Handstands.