Marine Nationale and Michael O'Sullivan© Photo Healy Racing
Marine National got his chasing career off to an impressive start when making all to readily land the odds in the Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners Chase at Leopardstown.
The Barry Connell-trained gelding was a star turn in the two-mile novice hurdle division last term winning the Supreme Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham and had been given a lengthy break since.
The 1/2 favourite shrugged off nearest challenger Feu Du Bressil off the home turn and kept on strongly under regular partner Michael O’Sullivan to easily beat Firm Footings by eight and a half lengths. Walk With Paul was a further 12 lengths back in third.
Connell said, “I didn’t enjoy watching it at all. Last year we were coming in under the radar and this year we are favourite for the Arkle and expected to win.
“It’s a horse race and anything can go wrong but the way he jumped today he’s vindicated what we have seen from his schooling — he’s an absolute natural.
“He’s only three-quarters fit today, and Michael said he gave a little bit of a blow. He was a little gassy early on, but you couldn’t ask for any more than that.
“The ground is described as soft but there is a bottom to it. He goes on every ground but probably wouldn’t like heavy ground. He’s just class with a super engine and when you marry that with how efficient he jumps.
“He’ll come back here for the Irish Arkle, then the Arkle and hopefully on to Punchestown. The script writes itself this year.
“He’s the horse of a lifetime and I’m just blessed that he came into our yard. They are one in ten thousand these horses.
“He’s taken a bit longer this year to get fit than last year as he had a proper break for ten weeks but he’s a tall athletic horse and comes to hand quick enough.
“If you look at the list of Supreme Novice Hurdle winners, there are plenty that just didn’t train on and that was an added pressure.
“He had a little wind operation before he went out at the end of last season, and we put a tongue strap on him today. We just thought it might improve him a bit.”
Marine National was cut into 4/5 (from 7/4) for the Arkle with Paddy Power and Betfair.
