Sean Flanagan rode Marine Nationale to an emotional victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival when favorite Jonbon came short.
From Jonbon (4-1) he was generally expected to deliver the victory for trainer JP McManus, but he struggled immediately after a very messy start and when he clattered the fifth fence, his hope for the victory had essentially disappeared.
Marine Nationale (5-1) went the last fence in just before Quilixios (40-1) and when the last fell, the Jockey Sean Flanagan allowed to point to heaven while claiming a triumph who will live in Cheltenham-folklore.
It is a victory that comes a little less than a month after the tragic death of Jockey Michael O’Sullivan at the age of 24. O’Sullivan died on 16 February after serious injuries in a fall in Thurles.
O’Sullivan rode Marine Nationale to victory in the Supreme Novices Hurdle in 2023, and the eight -year -old proved his quality again with Flanagan in the saddle, while the recovery ride of Nico de Boinville Jonbon saw in second place.
The most moving winners!
Marine Nationale wins the Betmgm Queen Mother Champion Chase 🏆#Itvracing | #Cheltenhamfestival | @SWFLANAGAN7 pic.twitter.com/dn2kqlsj5
– ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2025
“He made him what he is”
O’Sullivan’s girlfriend Charlotte was present in Cheltenham, after having spent time in the stable with the horse with which her deceased partner had such a clear connection earlier this week.
And both Flanagan and trainer Barry Connell fiddled to O’Sullivan after a victory that seemed in the stars.
“It is extremely emotional for many reasons,” Flanagan told ITV. “His family finds it very hard, Jockeys in Ireland, England and all over the world have been under a cloud in recent weeks.
“Michael. This is for you”
Sean Flanagan pays his respect to Michael O’Sullivan, who won this race at Marine Nationale two years ago #Itvracing | #Cheltenhamfestival | @SWFLANAGAN7 | @Aliceplunkett pic.twitter.com/jexnzbef4l
– ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2025
“Michael is the man who made him what he is, he never really forgot him for that.”
Connell added: “It won’t sink long. The last three or four weeks have been terrible.
‘Michael and I traveled with this horse. It is devastating that Michael is not with us.
“I want to devote this victory to Michael and his girlfriend Charlotte. Our hearts go to Michael and his family. Hopefully this is a suitable end. “
The Boinville explodes terrible start
Jonbon was left with an enormous amount of soil to almost make the Boinville.
But the damage was done in the beginning. After a first false start, Jonbon got away very slowly and never really looked like catching up, with his final second place off the product of errors for him.
“Horrible”
Nico de Boinville was not happy with the start, in which the tape was under Jonbon’s nose #Itvracing | #Cheltenhamfestival | @Myeeekaaa pic.twitter.com/alls8ykjvo
– ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2025
In short comments to ITV, the Boinville made his irritation with how the start was treated a more foreigner.
“I don’t blame anyone, but he didn’t like the tape under his nose,” Deboinville said.
‘[The start was] terrible. “
Jazzy Matty makes it magically double
It was already an incredibly moving day after the victory of Marine Nationale, but Jazzy Matty made it twice to rule in the great annual chase.
Unexpected party led in turn, but 15-2 Schot Jazzy Matty came on to win the victory, just as he did in 2023 in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle with O’Sullivan in the saddle.
With both horses who won on the same day with O’Sullivan in Cheltenham two years ago, triumphantly, just a few weeks after his death, Jazzy’s jockey Danny Gilligan summarized it beautifully.
“I think we all know that there is someone who looks very special at us,” he told ITV after exceeding the line.
“We all know that someone who is very special is looking at us today” ♥ ️#Itvracing | #Cheltenhamfestival | @ Dannygille8 | @Aliceplunkett pic.twitter.com/uv7d1izcgg
– ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 12, 2025
Earlier in the day, De Nieuwe Lion (3-1) stretched its undefeated point to five races by winning the Beginner Hinders of Turner, giving McManus his 80th Cheltenham victory.
Lecky Watson (20-1) was a surprising victor for trainer Willie Mullins in the pursuit of the Brown Advisory Novices. Mullins then saw another outsider, Jimmy du Seuil (16-1), claim the Coral Cup.
Topweight and favorite Stumptown (5-2) gave Jockey Keith Donoghue a record fifth success in the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase.
