Barry Connell‘s talking is done regarding Marine Nationale‘s defence of his Champion Chase title at the Cheltenham Festival.
The ebullient trainer has never hidden his admiration for the talent of his stable star. In the build-up to the Dublin Racing Festival, his comments about prospective rivals in the Champion Chase drew significant attention.
Connell described the Clarence House Chase a “Mickey Mouse race” before Marine Nationale’s defeat to Majborough in the Dublin Chase. However, Connell explained those quotes, and the faith he shows in his Champion Chaser, during a Jockey Club press morning.
“I just say what I think and people are probably fed up listening to me bigging up my own horses,” reports Sky Sports. “I’m not going to do it again, only for him, because I know how good he is.”
As for his “Micky Mouse” comments, Connell was not afraid to double down.
“For context I said it ended up being a Mickey Mouse race, which it did, because there were only two finishers.
“That was supposed to be a trial for the Champion Chase and the winner is not even going to run in it and the second horse is 50-1, so that’s why I called it a Mickey Mouse race.”
Connell: “I’ve never seen rain like we had before the Dublin Racing Festival”
For many, a 19-length defeat before the Cheltenham Festival would ring alarm bells. That is not the case for Connell though, who believes Marine Nationale can overturn form with Majborough.
Conditions were heavy at the Dublin Racing Festival, with Connell attributing a large percentage of his deficit to the weather.
“I live near Leopardstown and in the last 25 years I’ve never seen rain like we had before the Dublin Racing Festival. It’s the heaviest ground I’ve ever seen up there and the easiest thing would have been not to run him, but I didn’t think it would do him any harm.
“He never got into a rhythm in the early part of the race and was out of his comfort zone, but to his credit when they slowed it down halfway down the back he started to get back into it again.
“On the day in Leopardstown we were beaten 19 lengths. You would say ‘how are we going to reverse that’? But they were extreme conditions and we know our horse loves Cheltenham.”
Ultimately, it is that Cheltenham record which Connell believes will be the spark for his title defence.
“He’s been to Cheltenham twice, he’s won twice and hasn’t come off the bridle twice.
“I think we’ll see a different horse again in March. That is not just my opinion. That is backed up by the form book. When you look at what he does when he goes there every year.”