‘Hugely exciting’ Majborough over fences for the first time at Fairyhouse

Last season’s Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough will take to fences for the first time in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Beginners Chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

The four-year-old, who is trained by Willie Mullins and owned by JP McManus, was victorious at the Cheltenham Festival in March when defeating stablemate Kargese by a length and a half.

He returns to action over fences having always been considered a chaser in the making, and will contest a race used to good effect by his powerhouse yard in the past, as El Fabiolo and Blue Lord are previous winners.

“We’ve been very happy with him, obviously we’ve decided to go chasing with him this year rather than hurdling,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father.

“Physically, he’s reminiscent of (twice Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up) Djakadam, who was also a juvenile hurdler. He’s been schooling very well and he’s hugely exciting.

“He’s not your typical juvenile, he’d be nearly 17 hands, so he’s a big, tall horse and though he’s not as heavy as Djakadam, his whole build screams chaser.”

Tullyhill also represents Closutton, a horse who was second in the 2023 Punchestown Champion Bumper and won twice over hurdles last season before failing to fire in the Supreme and then the Champion Novice back at Punchestown.

He too takes to fences for the first time and has some experience in the discipline, as he was a winner on his sole point-to-point start.

“He perhaps didn’t show his full potential last year as a novice hurdler, but he was a winning point-to-pointer before that,” Mullins said of the Cheveley Park Stud-owned grey.

“His work has been really good and we’re hoping jumping fences is going to bring out the best in him.”