Supreme second William Munny set for Champion Hurdle campaign

Barry Connell has confirmed Supreme Novices' Hurdle second William Munny will be aimed at the Champion Hurdle this season in what he claims is an "open division". 

Connell has a Cheltenham Festival record of two winners from five runners, and William Munny was not far away from enhancing those figures when finishing second to Kopek Des Bordes in last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The trainer was considering a novice chase campaign for the horse he once touted as "the best bumper horse in the country" at the end of last season, but decided to aim the seven-year-old at the Champion Hurdle.

“We're going down the Champion Hurdle route with him rather than the novice chase route for a number of reasons,” Connell said. “It's probably an open division; there's no Istabraq or Hurricane Fly. 

"The incumbents over the last few years are not getting any younger. Constitution Hill looked absolutely unbeatable in his first couple of seasons and was very unfortunate to have two very severe falls.

"The ante-post favourite is The New Lion, who is only 3lb higher than us on official ratings. You could argue that the Supreme was the stronger race. We pushed Kopek Des Bordes all the way to the line.

“Going to Cheltenham, we were actually in two minds whether to run or not because he had gone very light. So we were pleasantly surprised with how well he ran, and I think that's a testament to him. Physically, he's looking great now and will be making an entry in the Morgiana.”

The New Lion heads the Champion Hurdle market at a best-priced 4-1, with Lossiemouth and multiple Morgiana hurdle winner State Man behind, while William Munny is 16-1. 

Connell added: "We know where we are. He needs to improve, The New Lion and himself probably need to improve 10lb to get up to Champion Hurdle level, but you would expect him to make that step up.

“The New Lion, on what he has done, is very short in the betting, and I think there's very little between what we showed as a novice and what he showed, so I think there's an anomaly there. We’re going to go down that route and see what happens.”

Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale could meet Majborough in the Fortria ChaseCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

JP McManus's racing manager Frank Berry has mentioned the Fortria Chase as a possible opening target for one of last season’s top novice chasers, Majborough, which puts him on a collision course with Connell’s stable star Marine Nationale. 

“Bring it on,” said Connell, when asked about the prospect of taking on Majborough. “We are the Champion Chaser. They can bring who they like; we're looking forward to it. Physically and mentally, Marine Nationale is in the best shape we've ever had him and we expect him to go through the season in the style he finished last season. 

“We have every reason to believe he has improved again. He’s been to Cheltenham twice and won twice. Not just won, he has absolutely destroyed the opposition. When he hits that hill, he just takes off and, at the age of eight, he's coming into his prime.”

New stock is always important, exemplified by the early retirement of the fragile Grade 1 winner Good Land, and Connell nominated recent Galway maiden hurdle winner Eachtotheirown as one for the future.

“We think he's a very good horse. He'll go for the Royal Bond and we think he can make up into a Graded horse. How far he'll go, we'll see, but he's an exciting one for the season.”

Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham, March 10)
bet365: 7-2 The New Lion, 5 Lossiemouth, 7 State Man, 8 Constitution Hill, 12 Anzadam, 16 William Munny, 25 bar.

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