Irish preview: Majborough has potential to be star chaser

The selection came from France, where he won over hurdles on his only outing in his native country, and while he was beaten on his first start in Ireland, it was a third-place finish in a Grade One. From that run at the Dublin Racing Festival, he went straight to Cheltenham and ran out an impressive winner, reversing previous form with stablemate Kargese.

That he could run to that level as a juvenile is most impressive as he is a huge horse, who should only be at the beginning of his development. He is still a four-year-old and it is not unreasonable to be concerned about his immaturity, but he is clearly a potential star in this sphere and can make the perfect start.

His two stablemates deserve plenty of respect, but Asian Master is just preferred as the main danger to the selection.

Mullins can also take the Lacey’s Plumbing & Heating Supplies Maiden Hurdle, with hurdling debutant Fishery Lane. Runner-up on debut, in a Tipperary bumper, a month later he contested the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham and ran a huge race to be beaten just six lengths into fifth place behind stablemate Jasmin De Vaux.

He was a long way below that when beaten out of sight at the Punchestown festival, but he starts off over timber over a trip of almost three miles and that should bring out the best in him. He is preferred to Melbourne Shamrock and Ayiko.

Six handicaps and a bumper make up Sunday’s card in Navan, which tells a lot about what to expect from the day’s action. The nap comes in the opener, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Handicap Hurdle, which can go to top weight Brave Troop.

While he has been put up 16lbs for his Thurles victory on what was his stable debut for Charles Byrnes, he is still only rated 111 and the manner in which he won that day suggested he would be capable of even better. James Smith retains the ride, and the pair can follow up at the expense of Lady Bresil and Prince Quattro.