HUGE Cheltenham Festival favourite Marine Nationale is OUT, trainer Barry Connell has confirmed.
Punters were left mourning ‘the darkest day in history’ for ante-post betting with the news last year’s Supreme winner would miss the Arkle.
It came just hours after Nicky Henderson revealed Constitution Hill will also miss this year’s Festival.
It means day one of this year’s meeting – which starts next Tuesday – will be without two of its biggest stars.
And loads of punters can bin slips they have been sitting on for months with two horses who looked like bankers both non-runners.
Marine Nationale had been odds-on to win the two-mile novice chase before his disastrous run at the Dublin Racing Festival last month.
Connell was certain that poor showing was down to the heavy ground on the day at Leopardstown.
Things looked to be turning in his favour with a dry forecast for this week at the home of jumps racing.
But the trainer told the Racing Post that a ‘suspensory strain’ has scuppered all hope of running.
And the seven-year-old gelding will miss all of the major spring festivals with an aim, hopefully, to returning next year.
Punters were absolutely gutted to learn another superstar won’t be in action next week.
One wrote on X: “So that’s two of the favourites for the big races already out and there’s over a week to go. I can hear ante-post bets being torn up.”
Another said: “The darkest day in history for ante-post punters.”
While a fellow racing fan wrote: “Black Monday for the ante-post markets!”
Gordon Elliott’s Found A Fifty was made the new joint- 7-2 favourite for the race with Willie Mullins’ Il Etait Temps.
With a seemingly more open race, Mullins’ Gaelic Warrior – who looked bound for the Turners Novices’ Chase over half a mile further – was also cut in the betting to as short as 4-1.
The Closutton trainer also has Hunters Yarn at 5-1 while Joe Tizzard’s JPR One was slashed to 7-1.
Connell said he had been ‘over the moon’ with Marine Nationale’s last piece of work on Saturday.
But that he had been found lame this morning, with a vet confirming the bad news.
Connell said: “It will repair itself but he needs six weeks so he’s going to miss Cheltenham and Punchestown.”
On a traumatic day for punters, it appeared Ballyburn could switch to the Baring Bingham from the Supreme after a surge of money.
While odds-on Mares’ Hurdle fav Lossiemouth will be kept in the Champion Hurdle until the last minute, owner Rich Ricci told Sun Racing’s Matt Chapman.
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