The 2025 Champion Chase hero Marine Nationale won’t defend his title at subsequent week’s Cheltenham Competition (10-13 March).
Barry Connell, who owns and trains the nine-year-old gelding, instructed the Nick Luck Each day podcast right now (3 March) he suspects that Marine Nationale might have gotten solid in his field.
“We went into his secure this morning and the horse was very sore via his neck and simply down within the dumps,” he stated.
He added that the problem is “nothing too severe” and that the vet has been to see the horse and given him ache aid remedy, however the timing signifies that he’ll miss subsequent week’s BetMGM Queen Mom Champion Chase (11 March).
“We’ve had a transparent run with him proper via his profession. He’s extremely sound and has infrequently missed a day, both via lameness or illness. It’s a giant blow, however we’ll hopefully have him again for Punchestown [in April] and for subsequent yr. He has little or no mileage on the clock.”
Marine Nationale: ‘One in 10,000 lifetimes’
H&H’s Martha Terry visited Mr Connell’s yard in Co Kildare final month, when Marine Nationale was in work.
“Marine is a particular animal, not only one in a lifetime, he’s one in 10,000 lifetimes and we’re simply fortunate he landed in our yard,” stated Mr Connell on the time.
You might also be taken with:
Coach Barry Connell with Marine Nationale, his Champion Chase contender.
Credit score: Lorraine O’Sullivan/Jockey Membership
Rachael Blackmore jumps the final on Dancing On My Personal on Day 2 of the Cheltenham Competition 2025
Credit score: Harry Murphy/Getty Pictures
H&H senior information author
Lucy is an skilled information journalist, reporter and presenter. Since becoming a member of the Horse & Hound staff in 2015, Lucy has reported from main international sporting occasions together with the Tokyo Paralympic Video games and a number of European Championships, in addition to Badminton, Burghley and London, to call a number of. She has lined present affairs and sports activities information throughout the complete spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, in addition to human and equine welfare, trade information and courtroom instances.
