Emotional week in store for Connell

Every owner, trainer and jockey has their own story to tell but it’s fair to say that there won’t be a more emotional winner at this week’s Cheltenham Festival than if Barry Connell has success with either of the first two of three horses that he sends across the water.

William Munny goes in the first race of the week, the Michael O’Sullivan Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, a race is named after the jockey who sadly passed away last month as it was the race that Connell and O’Sullivan team up to win in 2023.

The horse that won that day, Marine Nationale, goes in the Champion Hurdle on Wednesday.

If either of those horses win, there won’t be a dry eye in the Cotswolds.

“It’s going to be very emotional,” said Connell.

“It’s always a very emotional occasion at Cheltenham, for the jockeys, the trainers, the owners, the people who lead up the horses but when you get a tragic event like what happened to Michael, or to Jack De Bromhead a few years ago, you can just cut the atmosphere at Cheltenham with a knife,” added the Nurney based trainer.

Connell is the sort of trainer who wouldn’t send a horse to Cheltenham unless they thought they had a live chance so he is quite confident heading into the week.

Willie Mullins’ favourite, Kopek Des Bordes, sets a good standard in the Supreme but has some quirks himself and if for any reason that he doesn’t run to his standard then Connell believes that William Munny will right there and ready to take advantage.

“William Munny has always had a huge amount of ability but he’s been his own worst enemy. Up until his last run at Punchestown he’s been way too keen.

“He was third last year at the Punchestown Festival but he was just way too keen. His first couple of runs this season at Leopardstown and Fairyhouse were similar. Because he was so keen he wasn’t paying attention to his jumping and he was making some jumping errors. Basically, he was doing everything wrong and still running really good races.

“Last day at Punchestown we were able to drop in in a small field in the Grade 3, he didn’t fully settle but he definitely settled a bit better and he put in a very good round of jumping. That was a big step forward.

“The one positive that you could take out of being beaten on the first couple of times is that he is going there with more experience. A lot of horses win their maiden hurdle and then go straight into the Grade 1 and they are going there on the back of maybe two runs.

“I think if we get the normal strong gallop for a Grade 1 race at Cheltenham I think that would suit him down to the ground. If he settles properly he is capable of improving significantly,” said Connell.

While William Munny is making his Festival debut, Marine Nationale is a horse who has been there and done it.

Again in his race the favourite, the Nicky Henderson trained Jonbon, sets a good standard but he is a horse who hasn’t always ran to his best at Cheltenham and Connell believes there are a number factors on the side of Marine Nationale.

“If you look at the profile of the horse, he’s only eight and has only had ten races in his career in total, two in bumpers, three over hurdles and only five runs over fences. So, he is basically still a novice.

“He only had two runs last year so we had to play a lot of catch up this year after he missed most of his novice season.

“We started him off slow enough in a Grade 2 in Naas and he ran a nice race there. He took a huge step forward at Christmas and then again at the DRF. In the figures, he’s probably improved by ten pounds every time he’s run.

“Both days at Leopardstown he put in two very good rounds of jumping.

“It was a proper race at the DRF. He has about two lengths to find on Solness. That was his 17th run over fences and it was our fifth so I’d be confident we’ll be able to turn the form around there for a number of reasons.

“The horse, as I said, is still unexposed, he’s still improving. Given his lack of experience he’s probably going to improve at a faster rate than some of the other horses in the field.

“The second thing is that he is a course and distance winner on the old course in Cheltenham, and also, his temperament is bombproof. Both of those are a big plus.

“We couldn’t be happier with the way things have gone this season, with his work, his progression.

“Also, if you look back over his progression over hurdles. He had three runs over hurlders. He won an ordinary maiden hurdle in Punchestown then he took a huge step forward to win the Royal Bond, despite things not going right for him, and then another massive step forward to win the Supreme. You’re looking at a similar kind of improvement profile in him this year so we’d be going there with every confidence that he’s going to run a massive race.

“The other thing that is going to be in his favour is that it looks like we are going to get a dry week, the better the ground the better for him. I think every box is ticked and we wouldn’t be swapping him for anything in the race,” said Connell.

Although William Munny and Marine Nationale are the headline makers in Connell’s team of three at the Festival, he says that Nine Graces should not be overlooked in Thursday’s Kim Muir.

“He’s been aimed at this race. Finian Maguire rides him and he knows him well. He’s a great amateur rider so we probably have one of the best amateur riders in the race. The extra half mile will suit his stamina and his jumping is great.

“There’s no point going if you don’t have a chance. Every box has to be ticked before you bring them over, otherwise leave them at home and they could win at one of the other tracks here,” said Connell.

No matter the results, as long as the horses come back safe and well then Connell will enjoy the week.

“I love the week. I’ve been going to Cheltenham since I was in college with my friends in the 80s. I was lucky enough to ride a couple of winners at the November meeting and I rode in a couple of Champion Bumpers as well. It’s been a very lucky place for me. The hardest part is getting them there, once they go on the boat I know the preparation has gone well . We’ve a good group of horses going over so I’ll be enjoying the week.

“All I can say is that we are very happy with all three horses’ preparations and we think that they all have serious chances of winning their respective races,” he said.