Cheltenham Festival: Marine Nationale downs favourite Facile Vega in Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Barry Connell | Racing News

Marine Nationale stretched away from favourite Facile Vega to land a brilliant renewal of the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Talked up in the build-up by an extremely confident trainer Barry Connell, the six-year-old was sent off at 9/2 for the curtain-raiser under jockey Michael O’Sullivan.

Joseph O’Brien’s High Definition and Charlie Longsdon’s Rare Edition set the pace, with Facile Vega (9/4) settling in midfield amid concerns of a repeat of the over-racing style which saw him blow out at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.

Paul Townend looked to be travelling well turning for home and delivered Facile Vega to the front, but all the while Marine Nationale posed a danger on the outside, stretching over three lengths clear to the line.

Facile Vega came home in second, ahead of stablemate Diverge, while Henry de Bromhead’s Inthepocket separated another Mullins pair in Il Etait Temps and Dark Raven.

The victory – which made it five out of five for Marine Nationale – could be the start of a brilliant double for Connell and O’Sullivan with the same connections represented by Good Land in Wednesday’s Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

“I told the whole of Ireland to back him and Good Land in the Ballymore,” Connell told RacingTV. “If I’d got it wrong, I’d have to have worn a disguise on the boat home.

“I genuinely thought I had the best horse in both races so why not say it?

“This horse could win a Group One on the Flat – he’s the fastest horse I’ve ever trained.

“He’ll be back here for the Arkle next year. If Constitution Hill wasn’t around, you’d think about the Champion Hurdle.”

O’Sullivan said: “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.”