The Royal & Sunalliance Chase Analysis

There are 61 entries for the 2005 Royal & SunAlliance Chase, the championship event for three-mile novice chasers staged at Cheltenham on Wednesday, March 16. There is significant Irish representation with 17 horses, while one entry hails from France.

Martin Pipe has five entries, headed by Comply Or Die, who landed a Grade Two event at Wincanton before going on to success at Cheltenham on November 12 when he proved 20 lengths too strong for Northern Deal. He fell on his latest start in a Grade Two race at Newbury later that month when still very much in contention.

Pipe could also run Control Man, victorious in the bonusprint.com Novices' Chase at Cheltenham in December, Escompteur, who has yet to score over fences but looks a very promising performer over hurdles, Meneur De Jeu, second on his British debut at Newcastle earlier this month, and Sixo, a fairly useful handicap hurdler who has yet to start over fences.

Pipe's main rival for the trainers' championship, Paul Nicholls, is also well represented with five entries. These are headed by Best Mate's full-brother Cornish Rebel, winner of all his three starts to date over fences, Alexanderthegreat, third in last season Pertemps Final at The Festival and Eurotrek.

Kauto Star, who created a very favourable impression when defeating Foreman on his chasing debut at Newbury last month, and My Will, winner of an eventful Unicoin Homes 'Dipper' Novices' Chase at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, both also have entries in The Irish Independent Arkle Chase

The Irish representation is particularly strong, with Willie Mullins, seeking his third Royal & SunAlliance Chase success, leading the way with three entries. These are the smart hurdler Davenport Milenium, yet to make his chasing debut, Euro Leader and Livingstone Bramble.

Other leading Irish-trained contenders include David Wachman's Cane Brake, a Grade Two winner at Limerick on Boxing Day, recent Leopardstown Grade One scorer Forget The Past, Keepatem, who saw off seasoned rivals when landing the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, the 2002 Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle heroine Like-A-Butterfly, a winner on her chasing debut but very disappointing at Leopardstown last time when she was reportedly suffering from a blood disorder, and Noel Meade's Mark The Man, an impressive winner on his chasing debut at Naas but a flop behind Forget The Past at Leopardstown after which he scoped badly.

The Irish team is further bolstered by Newmill, a recent Grade Two Leopardstown scorer when he had Strong Project in second, Point Barrow, a good winner at Fairyhouse last time, Scarthy Lad from the small yard of Tom O'Leary and triumphant on his last two outings, and the Mouse Morris-trained War Of Attrition, second to Brave Inca in the 2004 Letheby & Christopher Supreme Novices' Hurdle and a winner on his chasing debut at Thurles in November.

Nigel Twiston-Davies, successful with Young Hustler in 1993, holds a very strong hand this year with Ollie Magern and Baron Windrush. Ollie Magern is currently heading the ante-post market and won his first three races over fences before running with considerable credit to finish fourth in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham and second in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

Last time out Ollie Magern returned to novice company at Kempton on Boxing Day in the Feltham Novices' Chase, when he battled on gamely to defeat Trabolgan by a short-head with Quazar in third. In the same race both Backbeat and L'Ami came to grief while Control Man and You're a Gassman unseated their riders.

Baron Windrush built on his earlier promise when defeating more experienced rivals to land the valuable totesport Classic Handicap Chase at Warwick on January 15.

Prior to falling at Kempton, the French challenger L'Ami, trained by Francois Doumen, won a Grade Two contest at Lingfield and subsequently proved seven lengths too strong for Control Man at Warwick.

Ferdy Murphy has made no secret on the high regard in which he holds You're a Gassman, who before his Kempton mishap had registered impressive wins at Newcastle and Kelso. Backbeat recorded two smooth victories at Exeter before his Kempton departure and is liked by David Elsworth, who sent out Lesley Ann to victory 24 years ago.

Charles Egerton's string has been in good form of late and he could be represented by Graphic Approach, who did absolutely nothing wrong when making a winning chasing debut at Hereford, and Light Des Mulottes.

Other interesting contenders include Nicky Richards' Jazz D'Estruval, an impressive scorer at Ayr in December, Tom George's rapidly-improving handicapper Lord Of Illusion, Venetia Williams' pair of useful former hurdlers Sonevafushi and Limerick Boy and the Richard Phillips-trained Supreme Toss, a very promising novice hurdler when last seen out two years ago.