Ruby Walsh: Majborough and Mark Walsh show shades of Les Bleus with fast start and class

Mark Walsh on Majborough celebrates winning The Ladbrokes Dublin Steeplechase. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Speed. The French seemed to have so much more of it than the Irish in Paris on Thursday night that it got me thinking. Every hesitation by someone in green was punished in the Stade De France by a French team playing with flair. I had seen that somewhere else lately, but it took 80 mins of rugby in the rain, listening to Allez Les Blues, to put it into context in my mind.

Majborough and Mark Walsh set off last Sunday with the intent that the French players had when the whistle blew to start the Six Nations. They had Marine National, Solness and Energumine flat out by the time they had covered one tenth of this contest, and well before halfway, the result was a foregone conclusion. The pace, accuracy and intent of Mark’s plan and Majborough’s execution were a sight to behold, but it will be doing it again that ultimately defines them, a little like the French.

Maine National, on the other hand, stuttered at the first and launched at the second, putting himself on the back foot with a mountain climb before he even got out of earshot from the stands.

Brighterdaysahead pretty much did the same to Lossiemouth. Sharply away, always in control and never making a mistake to give her opponent a chance. Lossiemouth was more like the Irish. Slow to get going, never at the game, then somehow rallying to provide herself with a sniff of a chance with a quarter to go before being brushed aside. Both races were decided by how quickly the winner got up to the race pace and how easily they sustained the rhythm.

The Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, on the other hand, more resembled a top-end athletic race, and you nearly felt, when it was over, that Gold, Silver and Bronze medals should have been handed to each of the first three on the podium. Half the field felt the pressure at halfway as the cream rose to the top before the younger legs came of age and powered away from the former champion. Rematches bring joy to sporting events, but it could be a while before all three of these square off again, and that could be on the rolling hills of Punchestown on a Wednesday in May.

Narciso Has, Talk The Talk, Ballyfad, King Rasco Grey, Kaid D’Authie, Romeo Coolio, Kargese and Doctor Steinberg all enhanced the reputation of the “ underage “ talent coming through to challenge the top brigade, but the fluency of Irish Racing's Calendar shone brightest last weekend as Punchestown was asked to move backwards and Leopardstown stood into its Monday slot.

Karl Dickson was the man in charge on Thursday night, and he, his TMO, and the linemen kept things moving simply, calling the obvious and asking questions when needed. It was a pity that those who filled a similar role to being in charge at Wexford on 28/05/2025 couldn’t see the need to ask questions when Phillip Byrnes was unseated from Redwood Queen that evening. It was no surprise when the IHRB opened an investigation after the social media outcry left them with nowhere else to go. Still, when they brought a case against Philip and Charles Byrnes, one assumed they had a smoking gun because, whatever anyone thought, there was no way to prove the IHRB theory with video evidence.

What transpired at the enquiry was that the IHRB had only an opinion, and while everyone in the world is entitled to one, an opinion is not evidence. There are plenty of questions here that will forever remain unanswered, but a few can be. Who decided to proceed with the case? Who didn’t ask any questions at Wexford, and who is going to explain how a case with no cold, hard facts was brought?

They are answerable questions that probably never will be, but the weekend's action at Newbury, Warwick and Naas might provide a few.

The biggest name to grace the tracks this weekend is Lulamba, who will bid to enhance his growing reputation since he switched from hurdles to fences. He didn't blow me away with his debut effort at Exeter, but he certainly left a good impression on me when he routed his rivals in the Henry VIII at Sandown. This afternoon, he has to take on some older, more experienced rivals in the Game Spirit Chase, but if he is to live up to the expectations of his trainer, Nicky Henderson, then he has to be delivering at Newbury today.

Haiti Colours bypassed Leopardstown last weekend for a tilt at the Denman Chase today, and to be fair to his trainer, Rebecca Curtis, this looks a much easier contest. L’Homme Presse looks his only real danger, and he is pulling out again just 14 days after finding Spillane’s Tower too good for him at Cheltenham in the Cotswold Chase. I think he has an outside chance in the Gold Cup next month, and if he is to have even that, only victory today will keep the dream alive.

The Old Schweppes hurdle is the feature contest, now sponsored by William Hill, but in keeping with most big-value handicap hurdles, it has failed to attract a full field, as the number of ex-flat horses available to go jumping continues to decline. Let It Rain could be a very apt winner for those in foreign countries looking for some, but he will be an ironic one on these soaked islands at the minute. Steel Ally is my selection to land the Kingmaker at Warwick, and Dinoblue looked unopposable in the Opera Hat at Naas.

Tomorrow's card at Navan doesn't have the attraction of Honesty Policy in the Boyle Hurdel as he skips the contest and heads straight for the Stayers hurdle. Still, Oscar's Brother in the Ten Up novice chase does add a bit of intrigue to the day, making his first start in his new JP McManus silks. He looks a dower stayer, and the slog in north county Meath looks right up his street.