Majborough stamps his class on Dublin Chase

Majborough got his act together with a brilliant victory in the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown.

Winner of the Irish Arkle at this meeting 12 months ago, the Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old has had his jumping issues since, with a bad mistake two from home possibly costing him victory in the Arkle at Cheltenham and he was also beaten on his first two starts of this season at Cork and Leopardstown.

However, the application of cheekpieces appeared to do the trick, with Majborough racing and jumping with enthusiasm from the off under Mark Walsh, who let him stride on in front heading down the back straight.

Queen Mother Champion Chase hero and 5-4 favourite Marine Nationale did his best to bridge the gap before the home turn, but while he and the rest of the chasing pack tired in the testing ground in the straight, 2-1 shot Majborough did not falter and passed the post with 19 lengths in hand.

Walsh said: “That’s the real Majborough today. In Cork he couldn’t go right-handed and here the last day I tried to hold him up behind horses and when I came in I said we were doing the wrong thing.

“His big stride is his biggest asset, so Willie rang me the other morning and said we’ll put cheekpieces on and let him roll in front. That made a man of him today.

“He was looking at what he was doing today. The second fence he came up out of my hands, and he has some power behind him.

Majborough is the 11-8 favourite from 4-1 in Paddy Power’s non-runner no bet market for the Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Mullins said: “Mark Walsh was very adamant that he wanted them (cheekpieces) on and that he wanted to ride him his own way. All credit to Mark.

“He was terrific. You could see Mark was enjoying it and the horse was enjoying it with him.

“It was just poetry in motion down the back. I was afraid that he might not have enough left in the tank over the second-last, but Mark said to me there that he had plenty in the tank, he threw a terrific jump in at the last and galloped away up the straight.

“I was wondering over the first three fences if they were going to kill one another and leave it to Marine Nationale, but every jump he put in he was getting a half-length or a length off the ones behind him and it all paid off in the end.”