Two promising youngsters fought out a thrilling finish to the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown, with Handstands just getting the better of Jango Baie.
The pair had met at Huntingdon over hurdles last term and there was little to separate them then, but Jango Baie was slightly better off at the weights this time.
Handstands (100-30) had won two Grade Twos already over fences, proving he stayed three miles in early December before winning the rearranged Towton at Ffos Las.
Jango Baie had made a huge impression when prevailing on his chasing debut, though, and was sent off the 10-11 favourite for Nicky Henderson, to continue the trainer’s run of big-race wins.
But he could not get by the determined Handstands, who made almost every yard of the running.
Scilly Isles winners – Handstands and Ben Jones
Jango Baie briefly looked beaten before the Pond Fence, only for him to quickly come back on the bridle and appear the likely winner.
However, Handstands put that stamina to good use and when Ben Jones asked him for a big leap at the last, he delivered and that enabled him to hold on by a short head.
For the winning trainer Ben Pauling, it proved a real fillip coming in the same week that he was forced to rule stable star The Jukebox Man out for the season.
There was to be no fairytale win for Kalif Du Berlais, running in the colours of the late John Hales, with his stamina fading in the straight.