Marine Nationale on target for eagerly-awaited fencing debut

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle hero booked for Leopardstown at Christmas.

Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Marine Nationale will finally get his chasing career under way at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Barry Connell hosted the media at his County Kildare yard on Tuesday ahead of the big meeting over the festive period, and reported his stable star to be firmly on target for his seasonal return, having been delayed by soft ground.

Connell had hoped Marine Nationale would be contesting the Grade One Racing Post Novice Chase, but having yet to run over the bigger obstacles, he will take in a more modest event first.

When asked if all was in place for Leopardstown, Connell said: “Absolutely. His schooling has been 100 per cent. We schooled him twice on the grass at the Curragh and he’s a natural.

“His preparation has been good. He will do his last piece of work at the weekend and then, all systems should be go for Christmas.

“The original plan was to go to Navan, win a beginners chase there, then go for the Grade One at Christmas and then the Irish Arkle but we didn’t want to run him on heavy ground, so we had to forfeit the Grade One at Christmas and go for the beginners instead. But sure, look you have to adapt as circumstances change.

“Last year he won his maiden hurdle then went straight to a Grade One, so I don’t think that’s going to be an issue going to the Irish Arkle after his beginners.”

Connell has always had full faith in Marine Nationale – which was fully vindicated at Cheltenham – and says he knew from the first day the gelding entered the yard he was different.

Marine Nationale going through his paces
Marine Nationale going through his paces (PA)

“He is a one-off really, he is just an incredible athlete. From the first day we had him here, everything came easy to him,” said Connell.

“He is so relaxed as well which is a massive help. If you aren’t keen in a race you aren’t burning up excess diesel and you’ll have a horse for the finish.

“We didn’t want to start the season on heavy ground (at Navan). He can go to Leopardstown for his beginners and come back for the Dublin Racing Festival and then go on to Cheltenham hopefully.

“He is a light-framed horse. He has a preference for good ground, although he does go on soft.”

Barry Connell (left) with Michael O'Sullivan celebrating at Cheltenham
Barry Connell (left) with Michael O’Sullivan celebrating at Cheltenham (Mike Egerton/PA)

O’Connell used to ride his own horses and had them trained in various yards before setting out on his own.

“I’ve been a racegoer since I was one or two, my dad brought me racing since I was in the pram. And I’ve been to every meeting, went to Cheltenham, went to all the festivals when I was in school and college with friends and so forth. Then I bought a few horses and had them in training when I was in my late twenties, when I started working.

“I then took out an amateur licence and rode when I was 40 until I was 50. That allowed me to go around and have horses in training in a lot of different places and see how things are done. I always had it in the back of my head that I might like to try to do something like this. Really it was gathering the good staff together and putting the facilities in place, then buying the horses.

“I made loads of mistakes along the way, in terms of buying the wrong type of horse, having to deal with all the injuries and wear and tear that they have.

“We have a nice bunch of young horses there that we are getting going – probably 10 or 15 to run in bumpers and maiden hurdles. You know hopefully they will be the future.”

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