3 minute read
Willie Mullins has expressed his delight with Majborough’s successful chasing debut at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
Last year's Triumph Hurdle hero was always expected to take to chasing given his size and scope, but he faced no easy task on his first outing over fences at Fairyhouse on Saturday, with talented stablemates Tullyhill and Asian Master both providing stern opposition on their respective chasing debuts.
However, neither proved capable of matching the finishing kick of the JP McManus-owned four-year-old, who produced a taking round of jumping en-route to his impressive six-and-a-half length success.
"I was very pleased, I loved the way he jumped, he put in a few quick ones and there were one or two where he met them really right," said Willie Mullins on Racing TV.
"Mark (Walsh) asked him for one at about the fourth last and that was some jump. If he can just improve on that, that will be great."
Majborough was cut to a general 6/1 (from 12s) for the Arkle on the back of that impressive display, but plans remain open for the four-year-old's next target, with Mullins keen to get through the Christmas period first.
He added: "It's too early to say where next, I'll have a look for something in about a month's time, I haven't even figured out Christmas yet, never mind the new year! That's the next thing to do."
Later on the same card, Mullins unleashed an exciting horse in the bumper sphere when the aptly named Future Prospect quickened up smartly to land the concluding contest by nine lengths.
"I hadn't asked her much, what she did was on raw ability," said Mullins.
"She was in a bit later than the other horses; she was only doing nice little bits and then the race just came up and we ran. I was as delighted and surprised as anyone.
"Patrick might have given her a squeeze one day; he might have known more than I did! She had worked nicely at the Curragh on one day away, but I just thought she hadn't enough done.
"She didn't want to turn the first bend and Patrick was fighting her the whole way, so to produce what she produced at the end of it looks top drawer stuff."
