Majborough wins Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase

Majborough (8/11 favourite) won the Group 1 Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival.

Ridden by Mark Walsh, it was a double for the rider and his retaining owner, J.P. McManus, as the pair had earlier taken the Race And Stay at Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle with Perceval Legallois.

Majborough, by Capital Stud stallion Martinborough, was a comfortable 9-length winner over the Gigginstown House Stud-owned Touch Me Not (12/1), in the hands of Danny Gilligan.

Gordon Elliott trained the third-placed Firefox (15/2), as well as the runner-up, with Firefox ridden by Sam Ewing.

“It was very good, fantastic,” declared winning trainer Willie Mullins. “You could see all the time Mark [Walsh, jockey] was happy sitting in the saddle. I never thought that Mark thought there were any problems. He pulled him wide coming to the last and he did what he had to do.”