EMOTIONS will be running high at this year’s Festival if Barry Connell’s yellow and navy silks are carried to victory.

At a meeting that kicks off with the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle renamed in the late Michael O’Sullivan’s honour, there would be no shortage of poignancy if those recognisable colours could come to the fore on a stage where the bright young rider savoured his finest hour for Connell on Marine Nationale in the 2023 curtain-raiser.

“The last few weeks have been very raw for everybody,” Connell tells The Irish Field.

“Michael was a very big part of our team for a long time and we went on some journey together. Everyone in the yard felt his passing. We were all down at the funeral, and I was lucky to get to spend some time with the family early in the week. It will be very poignant at Cheltenham to think of Michael.

“Cheltenham is a very emotional place much of the time anyway, and it has the ability to deliver something special. You could really feel that emotion the year after Jack de Bromhead’s passing when Honeysuckle won. There’s an electricity and an energy in the place. It can put the hairs standing up on the back of your neck.”

It’s not exactly a longshot either that Connell will make his mark in the race named after O’Sullivan. Grade 1-placed William Munny clashed with some of Ireland’s best novice hurdlers over the winter before breezing to a 15-length listed success at Punchestown, the day after Michael’s funeral.

“His last run was a more true reflection of his ability than his previous couple of starts over hurdles,” says Connell.

“He had been way too keen, and because he was keen, he didn’t jump well. He still hadn’t fully settled last time but put in a fair round of jumping.

Impressive time

“If they go a strong pace in the Supreme, I think it’ll suit him and he’ll be there in contention jumping the last. A couple of these speed analyst guys were onto me after his previous run at Fairyhouse to say that the sectionals were insane. I’ve been told that those type of sectionals would be good enough to win eight out of 10 Supreme Novices’ Hurdles - and that applied to the winner [Kawaboomga] and our horse. That was also our horse running with the choke fully out too.”

He adds: “In terms of why [William Munny is keen], I think there are probably two reasons. Firstly, he’s a Westerner and it seems like they’re all a bit barmy. Secondly, he’s actually got so much natural ability and speed, and he just can’t understand why the rider wants to slow him down.

“You’d be hoping that a strong pace in the Supreme would help settle him. He’s going the right way all the time and if he puts it together on the day, he’s definitely a contender.”

It would be quite the story if Marine Nationale could win his first Grade 1 since that famous Supreme success in Wednesday’s BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase. His trainer is full of confidence ahead of his first meeting with Jonbon.

“If the dry forecast stays the same, it will be ideal for Marine,” says Connell.

“I think he’s got some real plusses behind him going over there. He’s a course-and-distance winner on the Old Course, admittedly over hurdles, but he’s proven that he acts around the place and his temperament is bombproof. He never gets flustered or pulls in a race, and that’s a huge factor when stepping into a huge amphitheatre like a feature race at Cheltenham.

“We couldn’t be happier with where we have him now. He has come forward from his run at the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s only had 10 runs in his life, is only eight and his sole bad run came on an off day on very sticky ground at the DRF last year. He’s been coming all season.

“Having had only two runs over fences before this season, he essentially started the campaign as a novice. His last run was only his fifth appearance over fences - it was Solness’ 17th. We have a couple of lengths to find and I’d be disappointed if he can’t do that, if he maintains his rate of improvement. When you look back to his hurdling career, there were big leaps between each of his three runs - going from a maiden hurdle to the Royal Bond, to the Supreme.”

Back to best

On where he stands compared to when heading into his previous Festival heroics, Connell adds: “I think he has the potential to put in a performance that puts him ahead of the level he achieved in the Supreme. He took a blow at the back of the last at the DRF, which he was entitled to, but he picked up again and hit the line hard.

“I think he’s probably the best Irish horse in the race. Jonbon is a very good horse. His record isn’t as good at Cheltenham as elsewhere but I don’t think he’s unbeatable. We’ve had an ideal preparation and the horse is in as good a place as he was before winning the Supreme in 2023.”

Last-time-out Amateur National winner at Punchestown, Nine Graces, could be dangerous to underestimate in Thursday’s Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase. Don’t be surprised if she outruns her current odds of 16/1 under the excellent Finny Maguire.

“I put her away with the Kim Muir in mind immediately after her last win at Punchestown,” Connell explains.

“It took some time for her to get her jumping together but she’s like a cat now. She was really good the last day and bolted up. She did a piece of work during the week and it’s as good a piece as she’s ever done. Ideally, you’d like soft ground but she goes there with a great chance.

“Finny knows her well - he rides her every day of the week - and it’s a great partnership to have. He’s one of the best riders in the race.”

Summing up his three-strong squad for the Festival, Connell says: “I’m kind of pinching myself, really. We’ve only got 16 or 17 horses riding out, about 30 if you count young horses, so we’ve got 10% of our stable running at Cheltenham.

“I wouldn’t swap any of them for anyone else’s horses in their respective races. I think they’ve all got genuine chances.”