Connell: Eachtotheirown a lively outsider in Supreme Novices' Hurdle

Barry Connell rates Eachtotheirown as a lively outsider for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.

The County Kildare handler has saddled just two previous runners in the traditional curtain-raiser, with stable star Marine Nationale striking gold three years ago and William Munny finishing best of the rest behind Kopek Des Bordes last season.

Eachtotheirown looked another smart prospect after winning on his hurdling debut and while he subsequently disappointed in the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse, he bounced back to form with a dominant success in handicap company at Thurles in January.

He faces a huge step up in class for the Supreme, and is priced up accordingly with Ladbrokes at 66-1, but Connell feels he could outrun his odds.

“He won his maiden hurdle in Galway and then we thought he was a certainty in the Royal Bond, but in November for whatever reason we just had three or four weeks when the horses weren’t running well and he ran a shocker,” he said.

“The handicapper gave him a mark of 124, so we went to Thurles two weeks ago and won by nine lengths and went up 13lb, so he’s rated 137 now, but I think he’s definitely capable of running significantly higher than that.

“He’ll be a big price for the Supreme, but I think he’ll definitely be competitive. It looks a strong Supreme this year, but I hope he’ll be able to finish in the first five or six and maybe a bit better.”

Connell had been eyeing a tilt at the Champion Hurdle for William Munny earlier in the season, but an autumn setback has ultimately ruled him out for much of the campaign.

A trip to Cheltenham will come too soon for the seven-year-old, but the trainer hopes he could return to full fitness in time for a late-season outing at the Punchestown Festival.

Connell said: “The Supreme form is obviously very good. The Paul Nicholls horse that won so well in Newbury the other day (Tutti Quanti) was sixth and you’ve three subsequent Grade One winners in there – Irancy, Romeo Coolio and Salvator Mundi.

“He was as lame as duck six or seven weeks ago, he was so lame we thought he’d done a pelvis or one of the big bones in his leg, but we got all the scans done and there was nothing broken, he just had a very bad muscle tear.

“It’s healed completely now, he’ll be back under a saddle next week and we’re hoping to get him back for Punchestown, just to give him one run this season in open company and then we’ll be aiming for the Champion Hurdle again next year.

“It’s soul destroying when you have a horse who would have been capable of being very competitive in the Champion Hurdle this year and he just does something silly.

“It will mend 100 per cent and he’s something to look forward to for next year.”