Majborough ripped up the Ladbrokes Dublin Chase at Leopardstown, making every yard in cheekpieces and stretching 19 lengths clear of Marine Nationale in a result that redefined the pecking order at the top of the Irish two-mile chase division.
Willie Mullins’ six-year-old, a 2-1 shot, got his own way early when Mark Walsh allowed him to stride on down the back straight. From there it became a test of rhythm and nerve: Majborough attacking his fences, forcing the field to jump at his pace, and using that big, raking stride to turn the race into a relentless gallop rather than a tactical sprint.
Walsh didn’t dress it up afterwards and told Irish Racing. “That’s the real Majborough today,” he said, putting the early-season defeats into hard context. “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.”
Cheekpieces help bring out the best in Majborough
The equipment change mattered, too, and not as a throwaway detail. Walsh pushed for cheekpieces, then rode to them. “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.” Majborough’s concentration held where it has wobbled before; his jumping has cost him in the past, notably when a bad mistake two out possibly emptied the Arkle at Cheltenham. This time he met his fences with intent. “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.”
Marine Nationale, the 5-4 favourite and reigning Queen Mother Champion Chase hero, travelled to the home turn in pursuit but folded in the testing ground once Majborough kept pouring it on. Mullins credited Walsh’s clarity and conviction. “Mark Walsh was very adamant that he wanted them on and that he wanted to ride him his own way. All credit to Mark,” he said, before landing the line that best captured the performance: “It was just poetry in motion down the back.”