William Munny puts Supreme case with poignant Punchestown success

William Munny will bid to provide Barry Connell with a second victory in Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival following a poignant success at Punchestown on Thursday.

Owner-trainer Connell landed the traditional Festival curtain-raiser with Marine Nationale two years ago, a horse ridden by the late Michael O’Sullivan, who died aged 24 on Sunday as a result of the injuries he suffered in a fall at Thurles two weeks ago.

Punchestown’s Sunday fixture was cancelled and rescheduled as a mark of respect, with O’Sullivan’s funeral taking place on Wednesday. A minute’s silence was held before racing got under way.

Carrying the Marine Nationale silks, William Munny was the 4-6 favourite in the hands of Sean Flanagan for the Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle, having finished second to two smart performers on his first couple of runs over hurdles in Workahead and Kawaboomga.

Those who took the cramped odds will have had few concerns, with the seven-year-old travelling powerfully throughout the two-mile Listed contest before pulling 15 lengths clear under Sean Flanagan.

An emotional Connell said: “The first thing I want to say is that we’re all thinking about Michael and his family today. This is the first winner in those colours since.

“This horse has been doing everything wrong in his hurdle races. He’s been way too keen, making mistakes and he’s still running to figures to suggest that he’s there or thereabouts winning a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.

“Today he settled away better and jumped better. He has so much natural ability this horse that he can’t understand why the riders want to take him back.

“He’s hardly having a blow there today, that was his last piece of work before the Supreme.

“He’s put himself right in the picture there.”

Paddy Power cut William Munny’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle odds to 20-1 from 25-1 in their non-runner no bet market and he is set to be one of three Festival runners for Connell, with Marine Nationale heading back to Cheltenham for the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Nine Graces in line for a handicap outing.

“We have Marine Nationale for the Champion Chase and Nine Graces for the Kim Muir. Marine Nationale came out of his last run at Leopardstown excellent. He’s improving 10lb every time he runs because he’s effectively a novice,” Connell added.

“I think he will step forward. He loves the spring and he’s a course and distance winner on the Old course and his temperament is bombproof.

“When he won the Supreme Novice it rained a lot the night before and the ground was tacky but better ground would be a help.

“I wouldn’t swap him for anything in the race, I think he’s definitely the best Irish horse going over there, whether he beats Jonbon or not is another matter but he’s in great nick.”