Cheltenham pageant 2025: Marine Nationale lands poignant win on day two – dwell | Cheltenham pageant 2025
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ITV simply had a phrase with Nico de Boinville, who was very sad with the beginning of that race and says Jonbon “didn’t just like the tape proper below his nostril”. We’ve received two extra races to return – the Grand Annual Handicap and Champion Bumper.
It’s the most important reception of the week thus far within the winners’ enclosure for Marine Nationale. Michael O’Sullivan’s girlfriend, Charlotte, is right here to congratulate Sean Flanagan; this should be such a troublesome day for her.
The coach, Barry Connell, says that is the race he all the time needed to win – much more than the Gold Cup. “Michael and myself went on a journey with this race,” Connell provides. “It’s an absolute tragedy that he’s left us, however he achieved greater than many do in a for much longer profession. It’s been horrendous these previous few weeks, however hopefully that’s a becoming finish.”
Energumene was pulled up late within the race, and we additionally noticed Quilixios and Libberty Hunter – hopefully all are OK. Listed here are the closing levels of Marine Nationale’s win.
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Marine Nationale earns poignant Champion Chase victory
Cheltenham 4.00
1 Marine Nationale (S W Flanagan) 5-1
2 Jonbon (N de Boinville) 5-6 Fav
3 Captain Guinness (Rachael Blackmore) 25-1
8 ran
Additionally: 12-1 Solness 4th
Two years in the past, Michael O’Sullivan led Marine Nationale to the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. Some issues are simply meant to be, aren’t they? “Massively emotional for lots of causes, all of us jockeys have been below a cloud recently,” says Sean Flanagan. “I’m solely the person who rode him spherical immediately, Michael’s the one who made him what he’s. Michael, that is for you.” Sorry everybody, there’s one thing in my eye.
4.00 Queen Mom Champion Chase Approaching the final, it appears a two-horse race between Marine Nationale and Quilixious – however the latter falls on the remaining fence, and it’s going to be a poignant victory for Marine Nationale – with Jonbon recovering to complete second.
4.00 Queen Mom Champion Chase Jonbon will get all of it mistaken on the fifth-last, and is dropped to the again of the sector! Solness is again within the lead, from Quilixios and the bettering Marine Nationale, whereas Libberty Hunter has fallen …
4.00 Queen Mom Champion Chase Energume and Quilixios begin off at a whip, however the pack are capable of reel them in, and Solness joins the main pair. Libberty Hunter and Captain Guinness the again markers.
4.00 Queen Mom Champion Chase A little bit of jostling on the flip, with Nico de Boinville (on Jonbon) sending some alternative phrases within the route of Solness’ JJ Slevin. There’s a false begin the primary time, however we’re off on the second time of asking.
Two jockeys – Jack Kennedy and Sam Ewing – have been stood down for the remainder of the day attributable to accidents. Kennedy was attributable to experience Galvin within the Cross-Nation, however was changed by Derek O’Connor.
Dr Jennifer Pugh stated: “Each Sam Ewing and Jack Kennedy are sore having barely aggravated earlier accidents and have stood themselves down for the rest of the day. They are going to be reassessed previous to racing tomorrow.”
As we speak’s characteristic race comes down to 1 query: can Jonbon lastly ship his greatest kind on the Cheltenham pageant? Right here’s Greg Wooden’s prediction …
What was already an intriguing renewal of the two-mile chasing championship is turning into extra attention-grabbing by the minute immediately as Jonbon, a 5-6 likelihood in a single day, has drifted to even cash within the face of help for Energumene, the winner of this race in 2022 and 2023, who’s 6-1 (from 7-1). It would simply be punters getting chilly ft after a few odds-on reverses on Tuesday, however Jonbon’s nasty behavior of getting crushed on the pageant (and, in 20 profession begins, solely at Cheltenham) can also be taking part in on some backers’ minds. He did, in spite of everything, hand a convincing defeat to Energumene at Ascot in January, and his total kind has reached a brand new excessive this time period.
Jonbon, in actual fact, arrives off the again of 5 straight wins, and 9 in his final 10 begins, together with seven at Grade One stage. He has made his personal working in a majority of these races, nonetheless, and appears unlikely to be gifted a tender lead right here with Solness, a front-running Grade One winner on his final two outings, additionally within the area, whereas Marine Nationale, the Supreme winner two years in the past, is one other attention-grabbing runner for all that he has only one win over fences to his identify, in a newbies’ occasion in December 2023.
SELECTION: JONBON.
An replace from the final race: Galvin is being handled by vets after pulling up late within the race – he walked onto the transport so hopefully it’s a precautionary measure.
Champion Chase newest odds
Odds through Oddschecker:
Jonbon 5/6
Marine Nationale 9/2
Energumene 6/1
Discovered A Fifty 11/1
Solness 12/1
Quilixios 33/1
Captain Guinness 33/1
Libberty Hunter 33/1
Market movers through Oddspedia:
Energumene (7/1 into 11/2)
Discovered A Fifty (14/1 into 11/1)
Greg Wooden
Preview: 5.20 Champion Bumper Nationwide Hunt Flat Race, 2m 87yd
Given that it’s the solely race on the pageant with none obstacles for the runners to barter and Willie Mullins has saddled 14 winners since 1996, the Bumper has been a surprisingly troublesome race to name through the years, not least as a result of a majority of Mullins’s winners have come at double-figure costs in races the place the steady additionally fielded a heat favorite. The 25-1 success of Briar Hill, with then-stable jockey Ruby Walsh within the saddle, stays one of the crucial puzzling pageant SPs of current seasons, whereas Relegate (25-1), Champagne Fever (16-1) and Ferny Hole (11-1) have additionally landed the spoils for Mullins since 2012. The market is presently struggling to discover a favorite from three Mullins-trained runners – Copacabana, Bambino Fever and Gameofinches – and one other, Kalypso’Probability, from the Gordon Elliott yard. All 4 are among the many 10 unbeaten runners within the 17-strong area, and it is going to be fascinating to see how the market develops as race-time approaches.
SELECTION: BAMBINO FEVER.
Keith Donoghue wins the Cross Nation Chase for a fifth time, and on a 3rd horse, having beforehand led Tiger Roll and Delta Work to victory. “I experience for the correct folks – Gordon [Elliott] earlier than and Gavin [Cromwell] immediately. He didn’t bounce all that properly immediately, the bottom was a bit powerful for him, however he stayed in and as soon as we received forward, he was by no means going to be beat.”
Cross Nation Chase: Donoghue strikes once more on Stumptown
Cheltenham 3.20
1 Stumptown (Ok M Donoghue) 5-2 Fav
2 Latenightpass (Miss Gina Andrews) 11-1
3 Vanillier (S W Flanagan) 15-2
4 The Goffer (S Bowen) 6-1
16 ran
3.20 Cross Nation Chase: As they head onto the primary observe, Stumptown will get past Latenightpass on the final and pulls clear. Victory for the favorite, ridden by Keith Donoghue, with Latenightpass second for Gina Andrews. Vanillier and The Goffer emerge from early struggles to complete third and fourth.
3.20 Cross Nation Chase: Minella Crooner is pulled up on the again and Escaria Ten takes up the lead, with Latenightpass shifting via the sector. Chemical Power additionally bettering alongside Stumptown and French Dynamite …
3.20 Cross Nation Chase: Previous the midway mark and French Dynamite now leads, with Vanillier recovering properly from that mistake. Gevrey and The Goffer close to the again, Galvin mired in midfield.
3.20 Cross Nation Chase: As they head out on their second circuit, Mister Coffey nonetheless leads with Escaria Ten second. Stumptown, Iwilldoit and French Dynamite are close to the entrance, however Minella Crooner is dropping contact.
3.20 Cross Nation Chase: Third time fortunate as they lastly get away, taking over a duplicate of the Chair on the third of 31 fences. Vanillier was the early chief however nearly took a mistaken flip after that bounce; Mister Coffey now leads from Stumptown.
A false begin within the Cross Nation, with the pack getting near the primary fence after a late flag. After Tiger Roll received in 2018, 2019 and 2021, Delta Work went back-to-back in 2022 and 2023 – however there was no race final 12 months attributable to a waterlogged observe.
3.20 Cross Nation Chase odds replace
This subsequent race is the pageant’s most esoteric occasion, with runners tackling the cross-country course with its equestrian fences earlier than a run round the primary course. A situations race since 2016 and as soon as the playground of Tiger Roll, it has reverted to a handicap this 12 months.
Greg Wooden’s tip: A return to handicap situations implies that Stumptown, a comfy winner over course and distance on the December assembly, appears a good wager to observe up from an 8lb greater mark.
Odds through Oddschecker:
Stumptown 3/1
Galvin 9/2
Mister Coffey 6/1
Busselton 13/2
Vanillier 15/2
The Goffer 17/2
Latenightpass 16/1
Iwilldoit 20/1
Chemical Power 20/1
Coko Seaside 28/1
Bar 33/1 – 16 Runners
Market movers through Oddspedia:
The Goffer (20/1 into 8/1)
Mister Coffey (7/1 into 6/1)
Iwilldoit (25/1 into 20/1)
Awaiting a full end result, however ITV studies that Colonel Mustard, Beckett Rock and Beacon Edge completed fifth to seventh, with some bookies paying out on extra locations. Be Conscious, the pre-race favorite, was travelling properly however ended up in eighth.
Danny Mullins: “The snow this morning, I assumed would assist his possibilities – he hit his stride and completed sturdy. You don’t take any winners right here with no consideration, it’s all the time a particular feeling.” Jimmy Du Seuil completed second to Ballyburn in final 12 months’s Novices Hurdle, however has loved this 12 months’s pageant greater than his stablemate.
Coral Cup: Jimmy De Seuil wins one other for Mullins
Cheltenham 2.40
1 Jimmy Du Seuil (DE Mullins) 16-1
2 Impose Toi (N de Boinville) 13-2
3 Ballyadam (Rachael Blackmore) 16-1
4 Beat The Bat (Bryan Carver) 11-2
26 ran
Additionally: 3-1 Fav Be Conscious
2.40 Coral Cup: Impose Toi strikes to the entrance, with Jimmy Du Seuil alongside as they strategy the final … Colonel Mustard is shut however falling behind the main two … it’s Jimmy De Seuil who wins it, one other one for Willie Mullins.
2.40 Coral Cup: The tempo selecting up with Bunting taking on the lead from Al Gasparo … Be Conscious beginning to make a transfer, however Anna Bunina struggling.
2.40 Coral Cup: The gray Be Conscious is in midfield as we strategy the midway mark; Captain Morgs, Beat The Bat and Anna Bunina are within the group behind the leaders.
2.40 Coral Cup: Al Gasparo has taken up the early working, with May I and Bunting not far behind.
They’re off within the Coral Cup: Be Conscious goes off as favorite, however Beat the Bat and Consolation Zone have closed the hole. It’s a first-time begin, too.
This subsequent race, the Coral Cup is one thing of a pin-sticker’s particular, with 26 runners in a handicap contest. Darts and soccer followers could desire a flutter on Bunting – owned by Brighton’s Tony Bloom – or there’s Colonel Mustard for the board recreation followers.
I additionally really feel obliged to level out that Lossiemouth, an 80-1 shot, just isn’t the identical horse as yesterday’s winner. How is that doable? Effectively, racing doyen Tony Paley has defined they’re bred in numerous nations – the Mares Hurdle winner is from France.
Greg Wooden
Preview: 4.40 Grand Annual Problem Cup Handicap Chase, 1m 7f 199yds
As soon as the Grade One horses have strutted their stuff over the two-mile course, it’s time for the handicappers to have a go and this 12 months’s Grand Annual has a usually lengthy record of potentialities to ponder. House does not likely permit for a full consideration, however Surprising Get together is an apparent place to start out as final 12 months’s winner is simply 6lb greater within the weights this time round and appears sure to go shut. Gavin Cromwell has but to register a winner at this 12 months’s assembly however three of his 5 runners have made the body and one other, Now Is The Hour in yesterday’s Nationwide Hunt Chase, was nonetheless in with each likelihood when he fell two out. Because of this, his three runners – My Mate Mozzie, Midnight It Is and The King Of PRs – are all price a re-assessment, whereas the runners for cash this morning are Jpr One, from the Joe Tizzard steady, and Primoz, bidding to present the excellent Lucinda Russell steady a second handicap chase win on the assembly after Myretown’s victory within the Ultima on Tuesday.
SELECTION: UNEXPECTED PARTY.
Coral Cup (2.40) odds replace
Odds through Oddschecker:
Be Conscious 4/1
Impose Toi 13/2
Beat The Bat 8/1
Consolation Zone 8/1
Bunting 9/1
Jipcot 12/1
Jimmy Du Seuil 14/1
Ballyadam 18/1
Sandor Clegane 20/1
Colonel Mustard 25/1
25/1 bar
Market movers through Oddspedia:
Be Conscious (5/1 into 7/2)
Beat The Bat (16/1 into 8/1)
A correction: immediately has not seen the primary snowfall at Cheltenham since 1974 – it’s, in keeping with ITV, the primary time there’s been a centimetre of snow in a single day since then. As a few you’ve got identified, the 1987 Gold Cup was a winter wonderland:
Lecky Watson wins Novices’ Chase as Ballyburn falls brief
Cheltenham 2.00
1 Lecky Watson (S F O’Keeffe) 20-1
2 Stellar Story (D J Gilligan) 22-1
3 Higher Days Forward (J W Kennedy) 13-2
7 ran
Additionally: 4-7 Fav Ballyburn, 11-1 Beautiful Tom 4th
It’s a victory for Willie Mullins, though not the one which was anticipated. Sean O’Keeffe, who introduced dwelling 28-1 shot Lecky Watson. “I’m over the moon, once I received the experience on him I assumed: he’s received a great likelihood.” He additionally dedicates the win to Michael O’Sullivan.
2.00 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase: Over the third final, there’s an error from Dancing Metropolis – and Lecky Watson goes over the past three lengths clear! Stellar Story is difficult, however no person will catch Lecky Watson right here … Stellar Story could have simply nicked second from Higher Days Forward.
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