Last year’s Champion Chase winner Marine Nationale has been ruled out of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival with a “sore neck” according to trainer Barry Connell.
Marine Nationale Ruled Out Of 2026 Cheltenham Festival
In a huge update one week out from the Cheltenham Festival, Marine Nationale will miss the Champion Chase where he would have been looking for back-to-back wins in the race.
His trainer Barry Connell provided an update:
“He was very sore through his neck this morning. We had the vets in this morning and they put him on pain relief medication and we’re just going to be out of time with withdrawal times.”
Connell’s stable star would have been heading to Prestbury Park with an unbeaten record at the course after winning the 2023 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle before going on to win the Champion Chase last year.
WATCH: Marine Nationale Wins 2025 Champion Chase
Majborough Now Odds On To Win Champion Chase
After the scratching of his main market rival, Majborough is now 10/11 to win Wednesday’s feature race. The JP McManus-owned horse was last seen bolting up at the Dublin Racing Festival and arrives at Cheltenham after a career-best performance.
Majborough has been inconsistent since switching to fences and his jumping lost him last year’s Arkle Novices’ Chase when sent off 1/2 favourite.
2026 Champion Chase Betting Odds
- Majborough 10/11
- L’eau Du Sud 7/2
- Il Etait Temps 5/1
- Quilixios 8/1
- Jonbon 20/1
- Irish Panther 33/1
- Solness 33/1
- Thistle Ask 33/1
- JPR One 40/1
- Saint Segal 40/1
- Only By Night 50/1
- Calico 100/1
- Captain Guinness 100/1
