Willie Mullins is set to send Majborough over fences and believes the imposing Triumph Hurdle winner is "going to be a force to be reckoned with".
Majborough won the JCB Triumph Hurdle on only his second start for Mullins, reversing form with stablemate Kargese who had beaten him in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown, but the trainer believes it is over fences that the son of Martinborough will excel.
Mullins, speaking exclusively to Sporting Life for a jumps season stable tour that will be available to Plus members on Wednesday, said of Majborough: "He's a huge horse, I couldn't believe he was a juvenile when he arrived here - he looked like a ready-made chaser. I think that's what we're going to do this year, go novice chasing with him.
"He only had two runs last season, he was third at Leopardstown and then turned the form around and won the Triumph Hurdle. We put him away, he's such a big animal and we felt he didn't have much more to prove.
"He jumps so well so we're going straight to novice chasing with him. I know he's only four but he didn't have a hard season. It's tough for four-year-olds to go chasing - I know they get a bit of an allowance early in the season - but I'm not going to over-race him as a novice and hopefully his ability will come out and he'll be a decent horse in the spring."
Majborough may not have run again after the Triumph Hurdle (replay below) but the form was boosted by runner-up Kargese who won the Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown and by fourth-placed Nurburgring who bolted up in the valuable Galway Handicap Hurdle. Sixth-placed Salvator Mundi is ante-post favourite for the Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle after winning a Tipperary maiden by 62 lengths in May.
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Mullins, the 18-time champion jumps trainer in Ireland and also current champion jumps trainer of Britain, added: "His form is standing up everywhere and with his size and scope he's just a real chaser. We were probably surprised how well he jumped hurdles for a horse of his size, and that he took note of them. A lot of horses his size they don't take any notice, but he's very intelligent and we're really looking forward to him.
"Coming up that hill [in the Triumph] he was eating up ground - he has a huge, long stride - and took the last quite well. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with, I just hope his age doesn't get in the way. Up to the last few years four-year-olds got a good allowance but that's disappeared [later in the season]. It's going to be tough for him but he has the ability and may as well learn this game at a young age. I think he'll be a right chaser in the future."
Changes to the Cheltenham Festival programme mean that there is no longer a Grade 1 novice over an intermediate trip, so Mullins is likely to be looking at either the Arkle over two miles or the Brown Advisory over three miles.
Sporting Life ambassador Mullins is open-minded about Majborough's ideal trip, though noted winners of the Triumph Hurdle often stay well. He said: "I never mind too much in Ireland where we start them off - two miles, two-two, two and a half, even a bit more if we have to. I'd rather just start them when they're ready for their first run and then whatever chase is around. As they go up in grade then we might come back to the trip that suits them best. Most Triumph horses want a trip as they get older so he shouldn't have any problem going out in trip."
Lossiemouth, winner of 2023 Triumph Hurdle, doubled her Cheltenham Festival tally when landing the Mares' Hurdle in March (replay below). She looks likely to have a new assignment this year, though, with Mullins targeting the Unibet Champion Hurdle and a clash with reigning champion, and stablemate, State Man, as well as Constitution Hill, the 2023 winner who remains unbeaten under Rules.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsMullins said: "We took it easy last year with just three runs and she was good in all of them. She'll have a busier year this year, aiming for the Champion Hurdle. We're looking forward to having a crack at the Champion Hurdle.
"She had a busy season as a juvenile and that's why we didn't do too much with her last year and I think she has come back good and strong for it. I think she has the ability to have a crack at State Man and Constitution Hill or whatever lines up for the Champion Hurdle."
Lossiemouth has shown her effectiveness at two and two and a half miles, and that stamina is an asset according to Mullins who added: "You've got to be able to win over two and a half miles to win a Champion Hurdle. If you only barely get two miles you could be found out. Most Champion hurdlers have stamina and you need that bit of speed to be good at two and a half miles, so she has everything I think. Jumping ability, speed, stamina, she's going to be a big player I think in the Champion Hurdle."
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