William Hill Champion Chase 565r29 |
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| Grade 1, Punchestown 18:00 €300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1  |
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135nu
1 Marine Nationale 2/1
2 Captain Guinness 28/1
3 Solness 11/1
6 ran Distances: 7l, 4¼l, 27l
Time: 4m 0.40s (fast by 3.50s)
Wow! 🤯
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 29, 2025
𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞 and @swflanagan7 dazzle in the @WilliamHill Champion Chase @punchestownrace 🟡🔵🟡 pic.twitter.com/19O5AjMxbU
The blue and white silks of Barry Connell soared once more as Marine Nationale backed up his Queen Mother Champion Chase demolition job with an equally emphatic display here, reminding everyone that Cheltenham was no flash in the pan.
Sent off a 2-1 second favourite behind the Ryanair victor Fact To File—who, intriguingly, was stepping back in trip—Marine Nationale showed not just gears, but game sense. While Solness tried to force the issue from the front, and Fact To File’s stamina edge began to blur into a lack of pace, Sean Flanagan kept his mount cruising on the bridle, never needing to ask the big question until it mattered.
The pivotal moment came two fences from home as El Fabiolo, already with jumping frailties haunting his form figures, crumpled again—his third fall in four starts—leaving Marine Nationale with daylight and destiny in front of him.
From there, it was textbook. A slick jump at the last, a swift shift through the gears, and it was all over bar the shouting—seven lengths back to the consistent Captain Guinness, with the early pace-setter Solness clinging to third. As for Fact To File, this trip exposed more than it flattered—last of the four finishers, and never really in it.
Post-race, a beaming Barry Connell offered a measured, yet quietly bullish verdict:
“We missed chunks of his novice season, so it’s been a slow burn—but he’s improved with each run, and improved again since Cheltenham. He’s doing this at half-speed. He’s got the lot.”
Connell now has his sights set firmly on a place in history:
“The dream is to match Badsworth Boy—three Champion Chases. This lad’s only eight, that was just his twelfth run, and he’s made for Cheltenham. He finds another leg there.”
With a compact but razor-sharp Kildare operation—just a baker’s dozen riding out—Connell paid tribute to the team behind the scenes, namechecking daily rider Garrett Cotter and devoted groom Mandy.
And as the markets reshuffled, the message was clear: Paddy Power slashed Marine Nationale’s odds to 4-1 from 8-1 to retain his Champion Chase crown. If the horse stays sound and sharp, the road to March may already have its headline act.
William Hill Champion Chase
€300,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 2m, Class 1
6 ran
Going: Yielding
POS. DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 Marine Nationale 8 11-12 Barry Connell Sean Flanagan 2/1
2 7 Captain Guinness 10 11-12 Henry De Bromhead Rachael Blackmore 28/1
3 4¼ Solness 7 11-12 Joseph O'Brien J J Slevin 11/1
4 27 Fact To File 8 11-12 W P Mullins Mark Walsh 11/10F
FELL El Fabiolo 8 11-12 W P Mullins Paul Townend 5/1
PU Senecia 8 11-12 Vincent Laurence Halley Phillip Enright 100/1
Past Results: 151g32
| Year | Horse | Age/Wt/Owner | Trainer | Jockey |
| 2024 | Banbridge 6/1 | 8-11-12 R A Bartlett |
Joseph O'Brien | J J Slevin |
| 2023 | Energumene 2/7F | 9-11-12 Tony Bloom |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2022 | Energumene 4/7F | 8-11-12 Tony Bloom |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2021 | Chacun Pour Soi 6/5F | 9-12-00 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2020 | Abandoned (Covid-19) |
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| 2019 | Un De Sceaux 11/4 | 11-11-12 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2018 | Un De Sceaux 9/2 | 10-11-12 E O'Connell |
Willie Mullins | Mr P W Mullins |
| 2017 | Fox Norton 5/2 | 7-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts Limited |
C L Tizzard | R M Power |
| 2016 | God's Own 9/1 | 8-11-12 Crossed Fingers P’ship |
T R George | P J Brennan |
| 2015 | Felix Yonger 5/1 | 9-11-12 Andrea & Graham Wylie |
Willie Mullins | Danny Mullins |
| 2014 | Sizing Europe 7/1 | 12-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts P’ship |
Henry de Bromhead | Andrew Lynch |
| 2013 | Sprinter Sacre 1/9 Fav |
7-11-12 Mrs Caroline Mould |
Nicky Henderson GB | Barry Geraghty |
| 2012 | Sizing Europe 8/13 Fav |
10-11-12 Ann & Alan Potts P’ship |
Henry de Bromhead | Andrew Lynch |
| 2011 | Big Zeb 9/4 |
10-11-12 Pat Redmond |
Colm Murphy | Barry Geraghty |
| 2010 | Golden Silver 12/1 |
8-11-12 Violet O’Leary |
Willie Mullins | Paul Townend |
| 2009 | Master Minded 30/100 Fav | 6-11-12 Clive Smith |
Paul Nicholls GB | Ruby Walsh |
| 2008 | Twist Magic 6/4 Fav |
6-11-12 Barry Fulton, Tony Hayward, Michael Lynch |
Paul Nicholls GB | Ruby Walsh |
| 2007 | Mansony 13/2 | 8-11-12 Michael Mulholland |
Arthur Moore | Davy Russell |
| 2006 | Newmill 5/4 Fav | 8-11-12 Mary Hayes |
John Murphy | Andrew McNamara |
| 2005 | Rathgar Beau 8/1 | 9-11-12 One-O-Eight Racing Club |
Eamon Sheehy | Shay Barry |
| 2004 | Moscow Flyer 4/11 Fav | 10-11-12 Brian Kearney |
Jessica Harrington | Barry Geraghty |
| 2003 | Flagship Uberalles 8/1 | 9-12-00 J P McManus |
Philip Hobbs GB | Richard Johnson |
| 2002 | Strong Run 4/1 | 9-12-00 Michael McGrath |
Noel Meade | Paul Carberry |
| *2001 | Micko’s Dream 5/1 | 9-12-00 Sport Racing Club |
Willie Mullins | Ruby Walsh |
| 2000 | Get Real 3/1 | 9-11-06 Pioneer Heat-Treatment |
Nicky Henderson GB | Mick Fitzgerald |
| 1999 | Celibate 7/1 | 8-11-09 Stamford Bridge P’ship |
Charlie Mann GB | Richard Dunwoody |
| 1998 | Big Matt 16/1 | 10-10-11 Ted Benfield & Bill Brown |
Nicky Henderson GB | Mick Fitzgerald |
| 1997 | Klairon Davis 11/10 Fav | 8-12-00 Chris Jones |
Arthur Moore | Francis Woods |
| 1996 | Klairon Davis 5/2 | 7-12-00 Chris Jones |
Arthur Moore | Francis Woods |
| 1995 | Strong Platinum 3/1 Fav | 7-11-01 Theresa McCoubrey |
Paddy Burke | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 1994 | Saraemma 16/1 | 8-10-12 Dermot Cox |
Homer Scott | Kevin O’Brien |
| 1993 | Viking Flagship 5/4 Fav | 6-10-07 Roach Foods Ltd |
David Nicholson GB | Richard Dunwoody |
| 1992 | The Musical Priest 8/1 | 10-10-07 Mrs Seamus Purcell |
Michael Purcell | Jason Titley |
| 1991 | Good For A Laugh 8/1 | 7-9-11 Dr Michael Smurfit |
Arthur Moore | Charlie Swan |
| 1990 | Rust Never Sleeps 14/1 | 6-10-06 D M Murphy |
Austin Leahy | Gerry O’Neill |
| 1989 | Super Furrow 12/1 | 9-12-00 Mrs M Marshall |
Jerry O’Neill | Padge Gill |
| 1988 | Flying Ferret 8/1 | 7-9-07 Mrs V O’Leary |
Tony Redmond | Brendan Powell |
| 1987 | Eddie Wee 11/2 Jt Fav | 11-10-12 Mrs Y Rock |
Billy Rock | Conor O’Dwyer |
| 1986 | Another Brownie 6/1 | 7-9-07 S Lucey |
M McGrath | J P Byrne |
| 1985 | Buck House 11/10 Fav | 7-11-07 Mrs S Purcell |
Mouse Morris | Tommy Carmody |
| 1984 | Travelowen 6/4 Fav | 7-12-00 Mrs M Kelly |
Tom Costello | Mr Tom Costello |
| 1983 | Turloughmore Lad 7/1 | 8-9-07 M McDonagh |
Paddy Norris | Paul Leech |
| 1982 | Light The Wad 3/1 | 9-11-03 Exors of Patrick Downey |
Dessie Hughes | Tom Morgan |
| 1981 | Light The Wad 6/1 | 8-10-10 Patrick Downey |
Dessie Hughes | Frank Leavy |
| 1980 | Paddy Bouler 7/4 Fav | 7-11-04 P Rooney |
Pat Rooney | S Lynch |
