Cheltenham Festival Focus: 4/1 Majborough throws down serious Arkle claim

• Willie Mullins' Majborough now 4/15.00 for the Arkle!

• Olympic Man one to keep firmly on side

• Stumptown is X Country favourite, but I'm still sweet on David after form boost

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In week eight of the Cheltenham Focus column, Daryl Carter rounds up the notable action relevant to the Cheltenham Festival. In what was a very informative seven days, Daryl dives into the Arkle picture as another throws their hat into the ring, examines the market movers and highlights this coming week's action. Daryl has no ante-post bet this week...

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Dancing City gets the job done but stablemate impresses more

On Tuesday, 2024, Albert Bartlett third, and Aintree and Punchestown Grade 1 winner Dancing City made a winning start over fences at Punchestown. This was a satisfactory start, but no more than a high 130's performance.

However, given his progression for his seasonal return last year and the improvement he showed throughout the season to reach a peak of 150, it would be folly to judge him too harshly on this run. He did the job, and more will be revealed on his second start, but he will need significant improvement to warrant his 6/17.00 price tag for the Brown Advisory, with a mark of 160 plus expected for any Novice Chase festival winner.

A big eye-catcher was Willie Mullins' Olympic Man, who has since been given an opening rating of 137. I suspect he could be more classy than a handicapper, but his route will be exciting and is one to firmly keep on side wherever he goes!

Also, James's Gate won his Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown, defying an absence, and ran to around 134. He is one to keep on the side for handicaps in due course. Another on the card to run into the low 130s was You Oughta Know for Willie Mullins, who scored in his Maiden Hurdle in the first time tongue-tie. He was highly tried in bumpers last term to no good effect, but concerns must be offered, considering his best performances have come following a break.

Finally, on the Punchestown card, Willie Mullins' dominance continued as French recruit Kitzbuhel won in fine style on his Irish/stable debut, fending off the solid mid-140 performer Colonel Mustard. This was a good performance on the clock, and he looks like a live contender if he is handed a mark in the 140s for a festival handicap - possibly a Coral Cup with his connections saying "he will get further".

At Cork on Friday, Kel Histoire won his Maiden Hurdle for Willie Mullins. A 200,000 euros purchase following a 1m4f bumper win in France, he made a perfect start over hurdles. His jumping was sticky, but he won with plenty in hand. The form is a bit suspect. The runner-up was clear of the third and had been beaten 18 lengths at Gowaran Park. Kilgame - another expensive purchase from France making his debut - was very disappointing. I'd tread carefully with this form for now and Kel Histoire's 20/121.00 for the Supreme makes little appeal.

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Jango Baie the one to take from Cheltenham, but what trip?

Country Mile stormed to victory in the opening Novice Hurdle on Friday at Cheltenham. This was a strange race as Palacio went off hard and left nothing in the tank coming down to the last. Irish raider Wingmen was firmly put in his place, and his form now looks a little suspicious. That's Nice was bitterly disappointing.

The winner did nothing wrong and ran close to 140 in winning this contest, which, despite the early pace, was still a slower overall time than the Handicap Hurdle winner, Mirabad, later on the card. Still, the winner looks like a smart prospect but has yet to be in the realm of a Supreme Novice Hurdle contender based on this evidence, as his 40/141.00 ante-post price suggests.

On Friday, a brilliant performance from Nicky Henderson's Jango Baie in the Alloys Novices' Chase at Cheltenham marked him down as a sure festival contender. Making your chasing debut at Cheltenham is no easy task, and he passed this test, which featured a solid mid-140s performer in, Springwell Bay, in second with flying colours in a significantly quicker time than the Veterans' Chase later on the card.

There's lots to like about this young, progressive type; however, with the middle-distance Turners Chase no longer being an option, it's tough to know what to do with him. He will undoubtedly be out of any handicaps following this run, and perhaps Aintree is the ideal spot for him.

With stamina unknown for the Brown Advisory, an educated guess on his pedigree would suggest the Arkle 25/126.00 would look like the more obvious route. Caldwell Potter was a tad disappointing, but surprisingly, he backed up quickly from his Carlisle debut, and one suspects that was not the trainer's decision. He looks like one you would let loose over 2m and may be a pace angle for the Arkle. All is not lost on him yet.

Following his cosy success on Friday, Stumptown is now 3/14.00 favourite for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase. He will surely be a force come March, provided the handicapper is lenient. Mister Coffey filled the runner-up spot to give our selection, Sweet David now 8/19.00, a form boost, and the race is setting up well. I am still very "Sweet" on David.

Haiti Couleurs ran out a good winner of the Novices Limited Handicap Chase on Saturday. His trainer was talking of the Brown Advisory following this win, but that looks like a little pie-in-the-sky talk. He would be much better suited to the Ultima Handicap, providing they mind his mark, but I suspect the talk of the Grade 1 contest means they will attempt it and blow his rating.

The big eye-catcher was the runner-up Transmission, which is tailor-made for the National Hunt Chase and must be monitored when the betting comes out. Other potential runners for handicaps at the festival include December Gold Cup runner-up Madara, who continues to shape like a well-treated horse. Winner Gemirande could also have untapped potential and should make the shortlist for the Plate in the Spring.

On Sunday at Navan Kalypso'chance cemented his position at the top of the Champion Bumper market 7/18.00 with a strong victory over some useful rivals. He wasn't as visually impressive as at Punchestown, but he ran out an easy enough winner under Patrick Mullins. He is now unbeaten in three starts and is worthy of his favouritism, but connections continue to say they have better to unleash, so hold fire for now.

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Impressive Majborough in the Arkle conversation

Majborough laid down a powerful marker for the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival with his Beginners Chase victory over Tullyhill and Asian Master at Fairyhouse. He set out to make the running, and his inexperience was evident early on in the race. He edged out to his left at many obstacles (did the same over hurdles).

𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 flies over the fourth-last @Fairyhouse @WillieMullinsNH last won this race with El Fabiolo and Blue Lord ... pic.twitter.com/4N5QXjgz6e

-- Racing TV (@RacingTV) December 14, 2024

This was the first time the four-year-old armed with a six-pound weight-for-age allowance had been right-handed, and on this evidence, there's even better to come when reverting to a left-handed track. Willie Mullins' runner was careful at his early obstacles as he had his way out in front, but he took a cut at his fences once the pace increased down the back straight, and he was asked to get racing.

He crossed the line 5.19 seconds quicker than the 2m5f winner, Judicieuse Allen, over the 2m circuit. He quickly powered away from that comparative field inside the home stretch, putting distance between himself and his rival, Tullyhill. He was on terms with Tullyhill at the final fence, but the most impressive part of his race was his powerful kick, putting more than six lengths between himself and the solid 140-rated Tullyhill in quick time.

They trapped down to the final fence, clocking 35mph, and for comparison, Ballyburn took his final fence at 29mph at Punchestown on his chase debut. The speed at which Majborough jumped the final flight was electric.

This is just the fourth career start for Majborough, who wasn't overly impressive on his French debut at Auteuil 18 months ago when he wore a hood and a tongue tie. Still, he has improved significantly, and this was a performance that I was excited about.

Based on this evidence, he looks like an Arkle contender. While he will lose his weight-for-age allowance, I am not convinced six pounds would have made any difference in this race, considering he was only getting going when hitting the line hard. He is open to improvement in more ways than one, given that he was beaten on his seasonal return last year and has only had three runs in Ireland.

Owner JP McManus now has a stronghold on the Arkle Chase, with Inthepocket and Majborough as live contenders. However, those are Mark Walsh's rides, and I wonder if Majborough's presence would dictate where Ballyburn went as he is Paul Townend's ride. Add in the poor record of a five-year-old, and I doubt Mullins will look to rely on Majborough, who reminds me of the yards Haut En Couleurs, who had a similar profile, but flopped at the festival.

Typically, I would downplay a four-year-old over fences with the weight allowance as in years gone by, when they lose it, other horses progress that six pounds to level the playing field. However, Majborough is so lightly raced that he could quickly outprogress his rivals, and his upside is far more significant than the many five-year-olds that have tried previously.

Majborough is undoubtedly in the conversation for the Arkle. However, I am happy to hold off on an ante-post bet until I see Inthepocket again (seems to have gone missing?) and Ballyburn who is starting to look less and less like good value at 15/82.88 for this speed test.

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Here's how I have the Arkle division on runs so far

L'Eau Du Sud 154

Majborough 153

Inthepocket 153

Ballyburn 151

Jango Baie 150

Firefox 146

Ile Atlantique 143

Caldwell Potter 143

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Last five Arkle winners and their ratings and mine

Gaelic Warrior 157 (mine 160 tipped)

El Fabiolo 162 (mine 165 tipped)

Edwardstone 159 (mine 156 did not tip)

Shishkin 164 (mine 167 tipped)

Put The Kettle On 144 (mine 139 did not tip)

*I am looking for something to run to 160 plus on my figures to be worthy of on the day betting in the Arkle.

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Market Movers

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What's On This Week

The calm before the Christmas storm but there are still some Festival pointers but none more so than the Longwalk Hurdle at Ascot on Saturday.

Our confident Stayer's Hurdle selection Langer Dan is entered but please do not be alarmed when he is beaten as this horse is a spring specialist. The Wallpark 33/134.00 and Crambo 66/167.00 are among those likely to take their chance and they are availible at big odds on the Sportsbook for the Stayers Hurdle. If you fancy them, back them now.

Thurles will be informative on Saturday and then we are into the Xmas racing!

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Now Read: More Horse Racing Tips Here

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