Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)

DON’T say you weren’t told. Barry Connell went out of his way to express his mammoth belief in Marine Nationale and the top-class six-year-old justified that faith in spades with a highly impressive success in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

We waited 100 days to see the 9/2 shot since winning the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, and his horizontally-cool rider Michael O’Sullivan decided to make us wait even longer to see just what was under the French Navy gelding’s bonnet.

A masterful waiting ride allowed us to get a resounding answer, as he broke the heart of back-to-form second Facile Vega to score by three and a quarter lengths.

Connell, who changed his ownership model to train his own horses in 2020, was making his first runner in Britain as a trainer a winning one, while conditional jockey O’Sullivan was recording a first Festival success despite being unable to utilise his claim (3lb in Britain/5lb in Ireland).

“How do you think it feels?” quipped Connell. “The best feeling of all time! I put a lot of pressure on myself by saying he was the best horse I’ve ever had, but he’s very, very quick, unlike any other horse we’ve had before. He’s probably a Group 1 horse on the flat and we might get around to that at some stage.

Arkle aim

“I told every Irish person on the boat to back him and Good Land in the Ballymore… I’d have had to put on a disguise going home if we’d got beat! I think we’ll come back here for the Arkle next year. Those are my initial thoughts, but we’ll enjoy this.

“My staff are the best staff anywhere in the world; they’ve made the whole operation and I’d like to say a fantastic thanks to all of them.

“We’re absolutely blessed to have found the next superstar of the weighing-room in Michael O’Sullivan. You mark his name. Did you ever see a cooler ride in Cheltenham? Unbelievable. If you gave me any jockey, I wouldn’t swap him.”

O’Sullivan was still riding as an amateur until last autumn when snapped up by Connell to be his next retained rider. He has now won three top-level contests for the Co Kildare-based trainer from just five rides in Grade 1 company.

“He’s just an amazing horse and I’m so lucky to be involved with him,” said the Lombardstown, Co Cork native.

“You could talk to him, he’s so smart. I’ve been dreaming of this day since I was a kid. It’s surreal and it won’t sink in any time soon. He is better on better ground and it was an unbelievable performance. He’s not even having a blow afterwards.”

Willie Mullins’ four runners in the Festival opener finished second (Facile Vega), third (Diverge), fifth (Il Etait Temps) and sixth (Dark Raven), with the Henry de Bromhead-trained Inthepocket running with credit amongst them in fourth.