Fairyhouse: Grade One wins for Mighty Potter, Marine Nationale

Mighty Potter made a statement in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse to give Gordon Elliott his seventh win in the race.

A dual Grade One winner over hurdles last season, he added his third top-table prize and first over fences when landing the two-and-a-half-mile Grade One by a cosy four and a half lengths.

One of two in the race for the contest's most successful handler, Mighty Potter was always up with the pace in the hands of Jack Kennedy and produced an exhibition round of galloping and jumping.

Mighty Potter made a statement in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at #Fairyhouse to give Gordon Elliott his seventh win in the race #RTEracing pic.twitter.com/797wroPhAC

Kennedy looked to have plenty of horse still underneath him when briefly pressed by Gaillard Du Mesnil in the home straight but ultimately had too many gears for his more experienced rival after the last, storming clear for an impressive victory.

Elliott, who has won this with the likes of Envoi Allen (2020), Delta Work (2018) and his Gold Cup hero Don Cossack (2013) in the past, saw Three Stripe Life pulled up following a mistake by Davy Russell.

But all the focus at Cullentra House will be on the winner, who was cut to 5-1 from 10s with Coral for the Turners Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Marine Nationale came with a late rattle to land the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.

The Barry Connell-trained five-year-old headed into the Grade One contest unbeaten and took the step up to Grade One-level with aplomb under a cool ride from Michael O'Sullivan.

Content to stalk the pace in the early stages, O’Sullivan appeared to have plenty of horse underneath him as the protagonists approached two out. Although temporarily put