Unbeaten Gerri Colombe among entries for Grade 1 Scilly Isles at Sandown

Gordon Elliott has entered Grade 1 winner Gerri Colombe in Saturday's Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown.

The unbeaten seven-year-old was last seen winning the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick last month, taking his career record to a perfect six and putting himself firmly in the reckoning for his trainer's Cheltenham Festival team.

Monmiral and Thunder Rock head the British challenge. They were only separated by a head when second and third behind The Real Whacker in the Dipper at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

The Olly Murphy-trained Thunder Rock was two from two over fences, both in handicaps, and found himself too far back when trying Graded company for the first time at Cheltenham, but stayed on powerfully in the closing stages to almost nab second from Monmiral.

Trained by Paul Nicholls, Monmiral won a Grade 1 hurdle as a juvenile and started life over fences with a respectable second behind Jonbon at Warwick.

Nicky Henderson has entered Balco Coastal, who arrives off the back of a comfortable nine-length victory in a novice handicap chase at Kempton. The Seven Barrows trainer has also entered Bold Endeavour, who is unbeaten in two starts since joining from Laura Morgan. The Morgan-trained Notlongtillmay and Bowtogreatness (Ben Pauling) are also entered.

Options open for Thunder Rock

Thunder Rock also has the option of stepping up the three miles as he features among the seven entries for the Grade 2 Towton Novice's Chase at Wetherby on the same day.

His two wins have come in 2m and 2m3f handicaps but he stayed on well when upped to 2m4½f in The Dipper, which provides hope that he will stay this new trip.

Impressive debut scorer Ballygrifincottage will look to bolster his Cheltenham Festival credentials with connections happy to send him straight into Graded company after winning a Haydock novice by 11 lengths in November.

The Dan Skelton-trained eight-year-old finished fourth behind The Nice Guy in the Albert Bartlett at last year's festival and is set to tackle that trip for the first time since.

Henderson is doubly represented in the entries by recent handicap winner City Chief and Mister Coffey, who finished second on his comeback run in December, having filled the runner-up position in the Kim Muir at the festival last year.

Both entrants from Ireland are trained by Stuart Crawford, Gold Cup Bailly and O'Toole, with both runners unbeaten since making the switch to fences, while the Venetia Williams-trained Bellatrixsa is yet to get off the mark over fences.

Scilly Isles Novices' Chase

Balco Coastal Nicky Henderson
Bold Endeavour Nicky Henderson
Bowtogreatness Ben Pauling
Gerri Colombe Gordon Elliott
Monmiral Paul Nicholls
Notlongtillmay Laura Morgan
Thunder Rock Olly Murphy

Towton Novices' Chase

Ballygrifincottage Dan Skelton
Belatrixsa Venetia Williams
City Chief Nicky Henderson
Gold Cup Bailly Stuart Crawford
Mister Coffey Nicky Henderson
O'Toole Stuart Crawford
Thunder Rock Olly Murphy

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