Marine Nationale part of mouthwatering Champion Chase possibles

Reigning champion Marine Nationale, Il Etait Temps and Christmas Hurdle winner Sir Gino feature in 24 entries for the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Owned and trained by Barry Connell, Marine Nationale was a decisive winner last season and went on to follow up in equally impressive fashion at Punchestown. He was a somewhat unfortunate loser on his return to action at Christmas, when a mistake knocked him almost sideways.

Il Etait Temps will be looking to break his Cheltenham duck, having finished fifth in the 2022 Triumph Hurdle, fifth in the 2023 Supreme and third in the 2024 Arkle.

He is unbeaten in five starts since that Arkle defeat, beating Jonbon at Sandown at the end of last season and in the Tingle Creek last month.

Nicky Henderson’s stalwart is another who has yet to win at the Festival, finishing second in the Supreme, the Arkle and last year’s Champion Chase, but it is the entry of his stablemate Sir Gino which catches the eye, although Henderson has stated he is heading down the Champion Hurdle route.

Willie Mullins’ Energumene and Henry de Bromhead’s Captain Guineas are previous winners bidding to regain the title, while Majborough also has the option for Mullins.

Dan Skelton’s L’Eau Du Sud and Thistle Ask, Joseph O’Brien’s Solness and the novice Irish Panther are all there.

The Ryanair Chase gives several a second option and the likes of Grey Dawning, Banbridge, Champ Kiely, Gaelic Warrior, Handstands, Jango Baie and The Jukebox Man have all been given an entry alongside the Gold Cup.

However, last year’s winner Fact To File only has the Ryanair as an option.

Skelton’s rapid improver Panic Attack has been put in, as has Gordon Elliott’s Grade One-winning novice Romeo Coolio.