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.”