THE shortest-priced Grade 1 runner of the weekend not trained by Willie Mullins comes in today’s Goffs Irish Arkle (2.25) when Marine Nationale puts his unbeaten record on the line against a host of quality novices after a flawless chasing debut win over Christmas.

His rider Michael O’Sullivan cannot wait to test the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle star’s mettle again at the highest level, as he renews rivalry with Facile Vega and other Grade 1 winners such as Found A Fifty, Il Etait Temps and Sharjah.

Speaking as part of The Irish Field’s Dublin Racing Festival preview podcastthis week, O’Sullivan said: “I’m very much looking forward to Marine Nationale. He’s in great form at home and I can’t wait. It’s a big weekend, and hopefully we might upset the Willie Mullins show a small bit.”

On the Arkle favourite’s sizzling first success over fences at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival, O’Sullivan beamed: “He gave me a savage feel. You’d have to be more than satisfied with him for his first run over fences. He was foot-perfect. We were happy with his schooling at home and we thought he might come on for the run a bit.

“He hadn’t run for quite a while and you could probably see that. It was possibly the first time he took a proper grip and was a bit gassy early on, but even in doing so he really measured his fences.

“We went a nice gallop. I suppose Danny Mullins [on Feu Du Bresil] wasn’t going to let me have it easy in front. Down over the first three fences - the first two away from the stands at Leopardstown are generally trappy enough going downhill - we were going a proper 30mph or 31mph.”

The champion conditional rider added: “It was hard to find a fault with him, and what he showed from the back of the last was pleasing. I steadied him up to jump the last and he picked up again. He’s come out of it in great shape.”

A link to listen to The Irish Field’s 2024 Dublin Racing Festival preview podcast with Ronan Groome and Mark Boylan can be found on www.theirishfield.ie and via all your usual podcast platforms.