Marine Nationale and Michael O'Sullivan © Photo Healy Racing
Former Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner Marine Nationale is expected to make his seasonal reappearance towards the middle of next month.
Having made an impressive chasing debut at Leopardstown last December, the Barry Connell trained gelding then ran below par when well fancied for the Irish Arkle at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Speaking at Gowran Park on Friday. Connell said: “There are two obvious targets for him. He can either go for the Poplar Square in Naas on November 12th, which is a Grade 3, or the Fortria at Navan which is the following week.
“We'll go wherever the best of the ground is.
“Then he'll go to Leopardstown at Christmas and on to the Dublin Racing Festival.
“He's in great nick. He's cantering away and is probably ready to start stepping up in the next couple of weeks.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
