Majborough cements position as Ireland's leading Arkle hope with a 'fantastic' display under Mark Walsh

Majborough blasted around Leopardstown in splendid isolation to provide Willie Mullins with a fifth successive victory in the Irish Arkle and set up a mouthwatering duel with Sir Gino at the Cheltenham Festival.

Mullins has never hidden the regard in which he holds last season's Triumph winner, who followed up a sparkling chase debut at Fairyhouse with an impressive display of raw power that belied the fact he is just a five-year-old who was having just his fifth start.

Having initially shared the lead with Touch Me Not, Mark Walsh allowed the 8-11 favourite to open his stride and go clear after a spring-heeled leap at the third.

He got in tight to the fifth and sixth, which did not impact his momentum, although an extra half-stride taken at the fourth last caused him to nod and lose his rhythm momentarily. Walsh soon regathered his mount and then requested him to attack the third last, eliciting a breathtaking leap.

From there it was a matter of how far as Majborough thundered around the bend and stretched into an unassailable advantage before producing an assured leap at the last. He pounded further clear on landing, with nine lengths separating him and the Gordon Elliott-trained Touch Me Not at the line.

Elliott also saddled the third home Firefox, with the imposing Jeannot Lapin back in fourth. The winner's stablemate and 5-2 shot Ile Atlantique proved disappointing as he trailed in a further 12 lengths adrift in fifth.

The winner and Sir Gino graduated from the same juvenile crop last season and have yet to lock horns, but the Arkle at Cheltenham is set to host what would be a generational clash. The JP McManus-owned novice chaser was cut to 9-4 with Betfair for the festival contest behind Sir Gino at 5-6.

Mullins was enthused with this swashbuckling display, particularly given the surface had seemingly barely been scratched crossing the line.

"It was fantastic," he said. "I was looking at it from the stands and the whole crowd watching on television were going 'ooh' and 'aah' every time he got close to one, but watching it from the side, he never looked like being in danger of falling. 

"That [jump at the third-last] sort of put it to bed. I was surprised Mark was in the position he was jumping the second, third and fourth, but he was happy enough that Majborough wanted to be there. 

Majborough: cut to 9-4 for the Arkle after this nine-length winCredit: Patrick McCann

"He's always been a standout to me. Mark said he gave him a squeeze coming up to the winning post and he had plenty in the tank, which is a fair thing to say after running at that pace over two miles and a furlong around here."

However, Mullins did note that his jumping will have to be slicker if he is to thwart Sir Gino, who has already treated a Closutton star novice chaser with contempt after annihilating Ballyburn at Kempton in December.

"All he was doing was putting in an extra stride to be very safe. Any time he met it right he was picking up lengths. 

"We'll have to jump a bit better as we'd want to be winging every fence to match Sir Gino because he's a huge talent."

My Pension Expert Arkle Challenge Trophy Novices' Chase (March 11)

Betfair: 4-5 Sir Gino, 9-4 Majborough, 14 L'Eau De Sud, 20 Ballyburn, Firefox, Inthepocket, 25 Impaire Et Passe, Ile Atlantique, Mistergif, Gidleigh Park, Springwell Bay, 33 bar.

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