3 minute read
Last year's Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner seamlessly transitioned to the chasing game when readily landing the Paddy Power From The Horses Mouth Podcast Beginners' Chase at Leopardstown today.
The Barry Connell-trained six-year-old already headed the 2024 Arkle market before even jumping a fence in public. Bookmakers reacted quickly to his impressive chasing debut, with today's race sponsor Paddy Power cutting him to 4/5 from 7/4. Main pre-Christmas rival Facile Vega suffered a somewhat shock defeat yesterday but remains next in the betting at a general 7/1.
Understandably fresh in the early stages on his first outing for 288 days, the son of French Navy soon pulled himself to the front and barely put a foot wrong over his fences from there on in.
Willie Mullins' Feu Du Bresil did his best to keep tabs on the 1/2 favourite, but teenage sensation Michael O'Sullivan barely had to move a muscle as the tempo quickened turning for home. Firm Footings went off in hot pursuit but never looked like laying a glove on the unbeaten six-year-old, who strolled clear to an emphatic wide-margin success on his first start over fences.
"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," said Connell.
"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."
A trip to Leopardstown for the Dublin Racing Festival looks on the cards for Marine Nationale before crossing the Irish Sea for Cheltenham in March.
Connell said: "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 10,000 these horses. He's taken a bit longer this year to get fit than last year as he had a proper break for 10 weeks, but he's a tall, athletic horse and comes to hand quick enough.
"If you look at the list of Supreme Novices' 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."