Marine Nationale and Sean Flanagan just backed up their Queen Mother Champion Chase form at Cheltenham winning the Grade 1 William Hill Champion Chase at Punchestown. The 8-year-old trounced five rivals, including Grade 1 winner Fact To File at the final big festival on the National Hunt scene for the 2024-25 season.
“It’s fantastic. He’s done the double, you can’t take that away from him. The kids are here, there’s so many people here shouting, it’s been a fantastic day,” Flanagan said. “You only need one of them. I’ve just been lucky. I get up and go every day with the outlook of the possibility of hopefully stumbling across something like him. It’s happened, thank God.”
I have a 15-minute conversation with Flanagan after winning the Queen Mother at Cheltenham. About racing, about life, about death. Michael O’Sullivan on his mind that day and surely again today. If I could just get it out of the recorder and on the paper.
The greatest reverse commute in steeplechasing history, coming here to ride first call for Jack Fisher way back in 2013. Back then he was riding Mr. Hot Stuff, Schoodic, Ice It, Brave Prospect and Certain Swagger. Now, he’s riding Marine Nationale to win Grade 1 stakes at the finest festivals and hugging his children afterward. Crazy game. Crazy life.
Entries are out for the Virginia Gold Cup Saturday. Riverdee entered Awakened, Cool Jet, Palio and Pietrelcina.
