Punchestown next for Marine Nationale

Punchestown is up next for Cheltenham Festival hero Marine Nationale, with Barry Connell believing his stable star has the potential to become a three-time winner of the Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Only a few weeks after the death of Marine Nationale’s former jockey Michael O’Sullivan, the horse with whom he will be indelibly linked stormed up the Cheltenham hill to pay the ultimate tribute to his former ally.

Connell feels the performance proves the eight-year-old is currently the best two-mile chaser around and after bouncing out of his Prestbury Park exertions, he is now on course for a spin on home soil in the William Hill Champion Chase on April 29.

“Marine is bouncing and in great form and he’s a bombproof temperament so nothing ever phases him, that’s one of the biggest assets he has and he’s so laid back,” Connell told Racing TV, who offer the latest Grand National free bets offers ahead of the showpiece race next month.

“At this moment, our intention is to go to Punchestown with him. He’s a horse who enjoys good ground and nine times out 10 you get nice ground that has been probably watered at Punchestown, so we’ll be looking forward to that.

“He’s probably a horse who hasn’t had the credit he deserves having missed a season, but we never lost faith and he’s come back better than ever. I know the favourite (Jonbon) made a mistake and people can make their own minds up, but I have no doubt in my mind we have the best two-miler in Ireland and England at the moment.” 

Connell already has next year’s title defence in the back of his mind and has warned there could be even more to come as Marine Nationale gains further chasing experience.

The Kildare handler also raised the possibility of his star performer one day emulating the great Badsworth Boy, who won the Champion Chase three times in the 1980s.

Connell added: “He’s very lightly raced over fences and only eight, that was just his sixth run over fences and I think there is plenty of improvement to come. He just comes alive at Cheltenham and for me, his performance from the back of the last fence to the line was incredible.

“I do think he has the capability of going back and winning two more Champion Chases and it hasn’t been done since Badsworth Boy in the 1980s. I was looking at the records the other day and I couldn’t believe it when you consider all the iconic horses that have run in this division.

“We will just gear his season to getting him back to Cheltenham and he’s a very athletic, light-framed horse who doesn’t take too much getting ready. Two-milers just seem to go on, the Gold Cup can be a very hard race, but he finished the Champion Chase fresh as a daisy and hardly had a blow afterwards.”