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2026 Champion Chase

….Jamie Codd;

Apologies if you’re a Majborough fan, but I think he’ll be found out back at Cheltenham in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Everything was set up for him to deliver a big performance on Sunday, and there’s no denying that what he did was monstrous on the figures. Soft-ground, first time cheekpieces and - let’s face it – an easy time up front pushed things in his favour. Solness didn’t really show up and Marine Nationale struggled on the ground, whereas Majborough got into a good rhythm early, with the result never really looking in doubt. Cheltenham, and particularly Cheltenham on better ground is a completely different test though. It’s a world away from an expansive track like Leopardstown where the ground is mostly level. He made three of four errors in the Arkle last year, and subsequently hung. He’s likely to feel more pace pressure at Cheltenham too, with Quilixios and Solness capable of mixing it up front, not to mention Thistle Ask if he were let loose again by the Skeltons.

How many mistakes did Majborough make at Cork in the Hilly Way as well? Similar to the Arkle run, it was incredible that he was only narrowly beaten on each occasion. Let’s be clear, the engine is massive, but can you really bank on him to skip around Cheltenham without making an error or two? If the ground is good at the Festival, I’ll be firmly in the Marine Nationale camp, if I had to pick between the two.
 
Eggs said:
….Jamie Codd;

Apologies if you’re a Majborough fan, but I think he’ll be found out back at Cheltenham in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. Everything was set up for him to deliver a big performance on Sunday, and there’s no denying that what he did was monstrous on the figures. Soft-ground, first time cheekpieces and - let’s face it – an easy time up front pushed things in his favour. Solness didn’t really show up and Marine Nationale struggled on the ground, whereas Majborough got into a good rhythm early, with the result never really looking in doubt. Cheltenham, and particularly Cheltenham on better ground is a completely different test though. It’s a world away from an expansive track like Leopardstown where the ground is mostly level. He made three of four errors in the Arkle last year, and subsequently hung. He’s likely to feel more pace pressure at Cheltenham too, with Quilixios and Solness capable of mixing it up front, not to mention Thistle Ask if he were let loose again by the Skeltons.

How many mistakes did Majborough make at Cork in the Hilly Way as well? Similar to the Arkle run, it was incredible that he was only narrowly beaten on each occasion. Let’s be clear, the engine is massive, but can you really bank on him to skip around Cheltenham without making an error or two? If the ground is good at the Festival, I’ll be firmly in the Marine Nationale camp, if I had to pick between the two.
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Sorry Mr Codd, but majborough is going to bolt up!
 
Codd makes some valid points on the jumping but we know that’s his most likely downfall
But that wasn’t an easy lead at Leopardstown was it ?
They just couldn’t go that gallop
Solness definitely won’t be able to at Cheltenham due to the first few fences coming about quicker but some of the better jumpers might hold on to him especially if he’s iffy at one or two himself

But I expect Walsh to go from the top of the hill this time and take no breathers which didn’t help him last year

Could still clout one though cos he’s a clumsy twat at best of times
 
Codd makes some valid points on the jumping but we know that’s his most likely downfall
But that wasn’t an easy lead at Leopardstown was it ?
They just couldn’t go that gallop
Solness definitely won’t be able to at Cheltenham due to the first few fences coming about quicker but some of the better jumpers might hold on to him especially if he’s iffy at one or two himself

But I expect Walsh to go from the top of the hill this time and take no breathers which didn’t help him last year

Could still clout one though cos he’s a clumsy twat at best of times
 
I wonder if Skelton on L'Eau Du Sud will do what they did with Jonbon in the Shloer and pressure Majborough's jumping. Majborough got far too easy a ride at Leopardstown and I think this tactic is the best way to beat him. Could suit Marine Nationale if he sits closer to the pace and Majborough's jumping cracks under pressure.
 
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Yep siding with Marine seems to be the fashionable thing to do (JC has just copy and pasted what Jane Mangan said) I hope it continues to gather momentum so I don’t have to pay as much to reinvest in who I consider to be the most talented horse in training .
 
The Giant Bolster said:
I wonder if Skelton on L'Eau Du Sud will do what they did with Jonbon in the Shloer and pressure Majborough's jumping. Majborough got far too easy a ride at Leopardstown and I think this tactic is the best way to beat him. Could suit Marine Nationale if he sits closer to the pace and Majborough's jumping cracks under pressure.
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Anything is possible, but I think they quite fancy their chances with LDS, so imo more likely to just concentrate on their own horse, though of course the two may coincide.
 
I just cant take to majborough myself

The arkle was his worst jumping performance

They jump 4 at cheltenham in the time they jump 2 at leopardstown. Him getting into the rhythm he got into will be harder.

The cheekpieces clearly made a huge difference. Will they work as well next time?

As good as he was marine and solness dont go on soft ground

Having not backed him already hes definitely not one id consider taking a short price on
 
FinalFurlong91 said:
I just cant take to majborough myself

The arkle was his worst jumping performance

They jump 4 at cheltenham in the time they jump 2 at leopardstown. Him getting into the rhythm he got into will be harder.

The cheekpieces clearly made a huge difference. Will they work as well next time?

As good as he was marine and solness dont go on soft ground

Having not backed him already hes definitely not one id consider taking a short price on
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the time to back him is probably gone now.
Anyone who is backing against him imo has to hope he makes enough errors to stop him winning.
 
Carnage at Taunton said:
the time to back him is probably gone now.
Anyone who is backing against him imo has to hope he makes enough errors to stop him winning.
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Yeah I agree.
He could be a win bet and place lay though, working on the assumption that if he jumps well he has every chance of winning but if his jumping lets him down he may well end up with letters after his name....
 
Quevega said:
But I expect Walsh to go from the top of the hill this time and take no breathers which didn’t help him last year

Could still clout one though cos he’s a clumsy twat at best of times
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If he does it'll be the same result as last year for him, he'll need that breather and the horse will take it at two out which will leave him unorganised for the last, Walsh will surely get a breather into him coming down the hill, its the most opportune time to do it, and if you're in front you can stack them in behind, most will be playing a waiting game if they're still travelling themselves as no one wants to commit to early, kick on the bend hopefully stealing a couple, then start looking for your stride into the last two fences..and go fcuking long at them, no fiddling...thats how I see this horse being ridden anyhow, of course on the day allsorts can and will likely happen to scupper this.
 

Quilixios​


“He’s had a couple of setbacks through the year but he’s really good now. He actually worked today on the grass at a place we go to and he worked really well. So the next few days will tell a bit but if he comes out of that ok he’ll do one more strong piece of work and if that goes well, we’re there (BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase).

“He’s in great form, he runs well fresh and he could be exciting. He worked really well today. It’s a tough thing to do [win first time out] but it’s been done before but the next couple of weeks will tell.”
 
….Mullins re IET;

He surprised me last year with what he did at Sandown. I was hoping he could do that at Ascot last time, but he didn’t. I think we can get him back to the Queen Mother Champion Chase with his spark back again.
 
The question for me here is can majborough back up the massive personal best he ran at the drf

Almost inevitably with runs like that, the only way for most horses is backwards

I guess fact to file has the same question to answer in the gold cup
 
FinalFurlong91 said:
The question for me here is can majborough back up the massive personal best he ran at the drf

Almost inevitably with runs like that, the only way for most horses is backwards

I guess fact to file has the same question to answer in the gold cup
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Completely agree, hard to know how much a run like like takes out of a horse, it finished BDA last year...
 
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Reminds me of Jonbon when he won at Ascot, but then got caught out in the QM as he couldn’t be into rhythm

On better ground and if there’s 1-2 that will try and get the lead early on, I’ll be trying to take Maj on. Some very tricky fences at Cheltenham, I can see him having issues over at least 2. I think Marine on better ground will beat him
 
He lost the Arkle at the final 2 fences. There's every chance that they will again be decisive one way or another.
 
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So I know today everyone will be on handicap watch but I rewatched the arkle last year again! Was on jango so was lovely but then more importantly I ignored him this time and was shocked by majboroughs engine considering the mistakes on the last 3 fences. Insane.
I haven't thought once about the horse all season as I'm a huge marine fan.

So Im now annoyed that I have been sweet on marine for months waiting for them to plow MAJ into evens on the day to get a bigger marine price.. But now Im totally confused... I think there both a good price.. Never been in this situation where I fancy both of thr favs!!
 
Harry just said Thistleask will not run in CC
 
punterorplonker said:
So I know today everyone will be on handicap watch but I rewatched the arkle last year again! Was on jango so was lovely but then more importantly I ignored him this time and was shocked by majboroughs engine considering the mistakes on the last 3 fences. Insane.
I haven't thought once about the horse all season as I'm a huge marine fan.

So Im now annoyed that I have been sweet on marine for months waiting for them to plow MAJ into evens on the day to get a bigger marine price.. But now Im totally confused... I think there both a good price.. Never been in this situation where I fancy both of thr favs!!
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Barry reaching for first time cheekpieces on marine come the champion chase. Not sure whether that’s a good or bad thing 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
 
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