Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase

Horses five years of age or older may compete in the Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase known as the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase in Great Britain.

The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase takes place on the 3rd of February 2024.

There are seventeen fences that must be jumped during its course.

The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase is a Grade 1 race for five-year-olds and upwards over two and a half miles at Sandown Park in late January or early February.

It is a significant trial for the top novice chasing events at the Cheltenham Festival the following month.

Notable past winners include Best Mate (2001), Defi Du Seuil (2019) and L’Homme Presse (2022).

This race is one of the main races to occur in February.

Find out more about the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase:

Race Overview – Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase

The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase covers a distance of approximately two miles and four furlongs and is run at Sandown Park (2 miles 4 furlongs 10 yards, or 4,033 metres).

Many Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase horses will race in more races throughout the years. Stay updated on the horses and place ante-post bets if you want to wager on them.

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Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase Previous Result

Check out the latest result from this race:

Famous Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase Winners

The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase was first run over two miles in 1964 with victory going to Bob Turnell’s Buona Notte. The distance was increased in 1988, opening it up to more staying types including Bradbury Star (1992), Young Hustler (1993) and Banjo (1995).

In 2001 the race was won by Henrietta Knight’s Best Mate with Jim Culloty in the saddle. He famously went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for three successive seasons from 2002 to 2004. He also won the King George Vi Chase in 2002 and the Ericsson Chase in 2003. There is a bronze statue of Best Mate at Cheltenham racecourse and he was made one of the elite 12 in the course’s Hall of Fame in 2007.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has a particularly good record in this event and his best known winner was Oscar Whisky in 2014. He had been a very successful hurdler, winning the Aintree Hurdle in 2011 and 2012 as well as the Relkeel Hurdle in both seasons and the 2012 Ascot Hurdle. He was late turning his attention to fences but sadly sustained a fatal injury in the 2014 Tingle Creek Chase.

2019 winner Defi Du Seuil was a prolific juvenile hurdler and a deserved winner of the Triumph Hurdle. He was also a Grade 1 winner over fences for Trainer Philip Hobbs while 2022 winner L’Homme Presse went on to win the RSA Chase at Cheltenham for Venetia Williams.

Key Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase Trials

The most influential trial for the Scilly Isles in recent years has been the Dipper Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham. Three of the last twelve winners had run in that event, two of them winning and one being placed. Seven of the twelve had already won at least once in a Grade 1 to 3 race. The Turners Novices Chase at Cheltenham has been the main objective for winners here with eight of those twelve competing in the two and a half miler. Only Defi Du Seuil managed to win both races.

Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase Betting Trends

Six of the last twelve favourites have been successful, the shortest priced winner being Oscar Whisky (2014) who returned at the prohibitive odds of 1-6. All but one of those twelve featured in the first three in the betting, the exception being 14-1 outsider Sporting John in 2021. Six-year-olds have the best recent record in this event with five victories in the last eleven seasons.

Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase – Top Trainers and Jockeys

Nicky Henderson is the most successful trainer in the history of the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase with six winners; First Bout (1987), Punchestowns (2010), Captain Conan (2013), Oscar Whisky (2014), Top Notch (2017) and Terrefort (2018). Barry Geraghty and Daryl Jacob share the riding honours with four winners apiece.

Facts about the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase

• The Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase is a National Hunt chase for five-year-old and above novices in the United Kingdom.
• The race is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs, and during its running, there are 17 fences to be jumped.
• The race was first run in 1964.

Summary of the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase

Thank you for reading our Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase guide.

We hope you found everything you needed for this race in our review.

You can find more February horse races by checking out our guide.

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Related February Horse Racing Posts

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