Could Jimmy Du Seuil Get His Season Back On Track At Sandown?

The Scilly Isles Chase is always a very informative race heading towards the Cheltenham festival, and this year's renewal is better than ever. With Willie Mullins sporting two of his best novice chasers in Kitzbuhel and Jimmy Du Seuil, former Coral Cup winner Jimmy Du Seuil could get his season back on track this weekend after a very disappointing start over in Ireland.

For Willie Mullins a big time win in the Scilly Isles will be massive in his pursuit to win the UK trainers Championship again, and deploying two of his best novices is definitely the way to do it. Kitzbuhel in the famous colours of Marie Donnelly was a very impressive winner at Kempton over Christmas in the Kauto Star novice chase, and could prove to be even better again at Sandown on Saturday. His re-try over three miles at Kempton proved to be a very good move indeed, however a lot could be against the near odds on favourite on the weekend, and a British chasing triumph could be on the cards for stable companion Jimmy DeuSeuil.

The six year old reigning Coral Cup winner was arguably Willie Mullins most exciting novice chaser behind Final Demand coming into the season, and after a statement win in a beginners chase in Fairyhouse knocking off The Big Westerner and Jacob’s Ladder very easily, an instant step up to grade one company in the Faugheen novice chase at Limerick over Christmas was the obvious destination. Facing off against very classy stable companion Final Demand would be no easy task, but unfortunately his chances of challenging were cut short after a lot of jumping mistakes throughout, meaning Sandown will be where he will look to get redemption.

The Scilly Isles itself is a race stacked to the brim. With extremely classy types like Sixmilebridge, Mambonumberfive, Wendigo, and Steel Ally, it will 100% be a test to see where his level really is at, and to see if his showing at Limerick was just a rough patch in the mud. Come Saturday it looks like it will be very soft, even heavy ground given how much rain there has been and will continue to fall, meaning for Jimmy Du Seuil, it is proven and preferred ground. Unlike stablemate Kitzbuhel, he prefers much faster ground and won’t appreciate the gallops and test of such soft ground, and despite proving his stamina, he isn’t a proverb stout stayer like Jimmy Du Seuil over such testing ground, and could prove to be very big indicator.

At a current market price of 6/1, Jimmy Du Seuil is a horse who definitely has a lot left to prove, and has a lot he needs to brush up on in the chasing division. However, track, going, and race readiness will 100% be on his side. You can forget Fairyhouse, and at 6/1 the value is definitely there. With a lot of really solid form on his hands, it would be no surprise to see him thrive on Saturday, and whatever happens, it could determine his season as a whole.