Marine Nationale (9-2) swooped through to land a superb victory in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle on the opening day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
Trainer Barry Connell – landing a first victory at the Festival – had been bullish over his six-year-old's chances of glory. He had stated he had the 'best horse' in the race. He was proved right as, under Michael O'Sullivan, Marine Nationale stalked Willie Mullins' 5-2 favourite Facile Vega and came through to challenge before going on to win by three-and-a-qurter lengths. Mullins' stablemate Diverge (25-1) a further two-and-three-quarters-of-a-length back in third as the first eight home were Irish-trained.
O'Sullivan was still in college when Constitution Hill was winning the Festival opener 12 months ago, and his only trip to Prestbury Park was when he partnered an outsider in last year's Kim Muir Chase. But the Irish jockey reprised his victory in the Royal Bond earlier in the season, sitting confident in the pack before coming through for a brilliant first victory at the Festival for the jockey.
Owner-trainer and former amateur jockey Connell was also having his first success at the Festival since taking out a licence.
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A delighted Connell said: "It's the best feeling of all time. I put a lot of pressure on myself saying he was the best horse in the race, but I genuinely felt he's the best horse I've ever had. I came over on the boat and I told every Irish person on there to back the two horses (Marine Nationale and Good Land (who runs on Wednesday). I said they were the best two novices in Ireland, so at least I'm off the hook partially after today! I'd have had to go back in disguise if we'd got beat.
"This horse is unlike any horse I've had before as the previous Grade One horses were mainly stayers. This is a quick horse who is probably a Group One horse on the Flat – and we might get around to that at some stage.
"Today was his day. He's had five runs and won all five runs, his jockey is a superstar and my staff are the best staff anywhere in the world.
"We're absolutely blessed to have found the next superstar of the weighing room in Michael O'Sullivan, you mark his name. Have you ever seen a cooler ride in Cheltenham? Unbelievable. If you gave me any jockey riding I wouldn't swap him."
"I said beforehand if you want to win a Grade One in Cheltenham you need a horse with five attributes – you need a quick horse who can hold their position, you want to be a very good jumper, you want a brilliant temperament and guts and stamina to be able to stay up the hill.
"I rode into the winner's enclosure twice here as a rider at the November meeting, but it pales into insignificance compared to doing it as an owner and a trainer – this is unreal. I enjoy of the process of getting out of the car in the morning and just being with the horses, being out on the gallops and talking to the staff. The whole process really energises me. I hope we're only beginning the journey now."
Connell is likely to send Marine Nationale over fences next season. He said: "This lad will probably come back for the Arkle next year – unless Constitution Hill keels over between now and then! My initial thoughts at this point of time would be Arkle, but we'll see. He'll have an entry in Punchestown and then will be out in the field. Today is for enjoying."
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Winning jockey O'Sullivan, who added a second Festival victory later in the day when partnering Gordon Elliott's Jazzy Matty (18-1) in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle, added: "They didn't go a great gallop, but that suited me because my horse is quick. I was in a slightly wider position that I would have liked, but I was happy with the room because he doesn't have a lot of experience. I was alongside Facile Vega and travelling very well. At the bottom of the hill I was just saving him, Paul had kicked on Facile but I was happy enough that he'd come back to me.
"He had a good look at the last, we went and popped it and he actually won very snuggly in the end, I never got serious on him at all, I gave him a few flicks but that was it. We know he's going to be better on better ground, it was an unbelievable performance, he's not even having a blow. The ground wasn't as bad as it was when he won the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, I was just hoping it allowed him to show his true ability."
He added: "His jumping will get better. He didn't really put a foot wrong but he wasn't as quick through the air as you'd like for a two-miler, but I think on better ground he would be, he's an intelligent horse in general and I'm so lucky to be involved in him.
"Barry being confident didn't put pressure on me, but I suppose the punters took it into account and that brings a small bit of pressure but I can only do what I can do. Barry put his neck out and he was right. I've been dreaming of this day since I was a kid. It's a bit surreal and it won't sink in yet, this year has been so good it's hard to appreciate it, I don't think it can be topped but I'm just enjoying every minute of it."
El Fabiolo, sent off the well-backed 11-10 favourite, got the better of old rival Jonbon to win the Sporting Life Arkle Challenge Trophy in the second race of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival.
It was trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend's first winner of the week – although the meeting's winning-most trainer was securing an incredible 89th success overall.
El Fabiolo and Jonbon had a superb battle when the latter just triumphed by a neck in the Grade One Betway Top Novices' Hurdle at last year's Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse. And on their first clash over the bigger obstacles, El Fabiolo proved too good as he scored by five-and-a-half legnths with Jonbon second this time. Another Mullins' runner Saint Roi (11-1) stayed on for third.
El Fabiolo's stable-mate Dysart Dynamo made most the early running, setting a good pace in the two-mile Grade One contest. Both Aidan Coleman on Jonbon and Townend on El Fabiolo just sat off the front-runner. Jonbon challenged first on the outside with El Fabiolo on the inner. Dysart Dynamo took a crashing at the final fence, but El Fabiolo powered over the last to go clear on the run-in.
Winning jockey Mullins said: "He travelled as well as I was hoping the whole way. Paul said he hit a flat spot down the back but then when he picked him up, he came alive under him. I didn't watch the finish as I was trying to watch our other horse who had fallen, but thankfully he's OK.
"It's good to get on the board early in the day. It was a bit of a worry at the last but I thought, all being well, it looked like he had enough in reserve at that stage. He has a habit of brushing through the top of his fences but it is not something we are practicing! Like a lot of French horses, he can find a fifth leg due to all the schooling they do early in their careers.
"I'm not looking to up him in trip yet, I always think if a horse is comfortable at two miles they are easier to train and keep sound, so I'm hoping he's a Champion Chase horse for next year."
Winning jockey Townend added: "I was half afraid Danny (Mullins, on Dysart Dynamo) was getting a bit of a freebie at one stage and Danny is very dangerous from the front. At the same time Dysart likes to get on with it and wasn't giving Danny an easy time. The ground is testing and it's taking a bit of getting. When I was left on my own I got a little idle down the back, but when I wanted him to race he came alive for me.
"He's not the most natural of jumpers at every fence, but he knows where his feet are and he gets away with it. He was brave to go down the inner at two out and there wasn't a whole lot there at the last, but again he found his feet at the back of it and he galloped to the top of that hill on the ground, which is a good sign."
Trainer Nicky Henderson felt the ground was probably toof soft for Jonbon. e said: "I've always said and felt he'd be better on better ground – he gallops like that. He's done nothing wrong. He came to have a crack at it. We were tracking Dysart Dynamo and I'm glad to see he's OK, which is important. We got him, but the other fellow was doing the same to us."
Jonbon could now step up in trip and a return to Aintree could be on the agenda next month. The trainer added: "Definitely. I think he'd go as far as you like on good ground. We'll definitely look at Aintree. I don't think you'd go to three miles, but you'd certainly go two and a half. Aintree is the one place you want to step them all up half a mile. All being well, the others will stay in Ireland and we'll go to Aintree."
