Majborough impressed in the Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival

Sent forwards from flag fall at Leopardstown, Mark Walsh and Majborough had taken over the running from Touch Me Not before the third and went on by a couple of lengths. Ile Atlantique was about four lengths back in third and leading the remainder.

Majborough nodded on landing after jumping the fourth last, allowing Touch Me Not to close up again but the remainder remained at a respectful distance.

Majborough had opened up again approaching the last and landed running, going further and further clear on the run to the line without coming under a ride.

Touch Me Not came home in second, nine lengths adrift, with stablemate Firefox three and three quarter lengths away in third.

Trainer Willie Mullins said: "The crowd were oohing and aahing at every second fence down the back because he was getting in a bit close but it obviously looked worse on the big screen on the head on; I was watching side on and all he was doing was putting in an extra stride, very safe.

"He's just got natural talent, size and scope and he's a fabulous looking horse.

"It was easy enough [to make the decision to go chasing] because the five-year-old career for a horse like him over hurdles, there's not a lot for them there and you're just marking time so we said we'd go on over fences and see how good he is and then he'd have a nice chasing career."

The forcing tactics came as something of a surprise to the trainer who said: "I didn't think Mark was going to do that; it wasn't Plan A.

"He said he was going to jump off with the ones in front but I thought the ones in front then would go off a good gallop but Mark's steady gallop was a good gallop so you know. He was well within himself doing it all the time."

Looking ahead to the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham next month, Mullins said: "We'll have to jump a bit better than we did there, we'll want to be winging every fence to match Sir Gino because he's just a huge talent."

Paddy Power cut Majborough to 2/1 from 11/4 (NRNB) for the Cheltenham contest while Betfair Sportsbook trimmed the winner to 9/4 from 3/1 for the Arkle and eased Sir Gino to 5/6 from 4/6.

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