‘It’s a big blow’: defending Champion Chase hero withdrawn from 2026 Cheltenham Festival

Sean Flanagan riding Marine Nationale (yellow colours) clears the last to win the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. The 2025 Champion Chase hero Marine Nationale will not defend his title at next week’s Cheltenham Festival (10-13 March). Barry Connell, who owns and trains the nine-year-old gelding, told the Nick Luck Daily podcast today (3 March) he suspects that Marine Nationale may have got cast in his box. “We went into his stable this […]