Road to Cheltenham 2026: I repeat – how good is Majborough?

Did we see the Supreme Novices' Hurdle winner at Carlisle last Monday? That's certainly not something you say every year.

Dan Skelton's highly-regarded Mydaddypaddy made a stylish start to life over hurdles in Cumbria and jumped straight to the top of the market for the Cheltenham Festival's curtain-raiser.

Bigger tests await the four-year-old son of Walk In The Park, but I was impressed and his price will not last if he conquers all that come before him in the build up to March. That could easily happen.

On the same card, Skelton unleashed Real Quartz for Ged Mason and Sir Alex Ferguson. He's no Supreme, nor a Turners horse for me, but a nice prospect nonetheless for novice hurdles this season. One to watch.

Highly capable over the smaller obstacles, Steel Ally made a seamless transition to fences in the Graduation Chase a couple of hours later and is of interest for all those big handicaps throughout the season. Grand Annual in four months' time, perhaps?

It didn't exactly live up to its billing due to some poor jumping, but I still believe we witness a trio of lovely novice chasers at Ayr on Wednesday in the form of Sixmilebridge, Derryhassen Paddy and Gamesters Guy.

The former landed the spoils on this occasion and has been introduced at 33/1 for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, but it's the other two I'm more interested in going forward.

Gamesters Guy looks a shoo-in for a staying handicap somewhere off his current mark, while I expect stacks of improvement to come from Lucinda Russell's Albert Bartlett third. He looked unfit, jumped poorly and was kept out of trouble at the back off a slow pace. I'm leaning towards him being yet another Ultima horse for the yard rather than a Brown Advisory (25/1) type, especially after a certain performance in Ireland over the weekend. Stay tuned...

Down in Bangor, Mares' Novices' Hurdle third Diva Luna looked better than ever on chasing debut. She was pitched straight into Listed company and made light work of three rivals, including the 142-rated Joyeuse. I don't think the latter ran to form, but take nothing away from the winner. That was impressive. It's a shame for connections the Mares' Chase looks so hot this term. Don't rule her out so quickly, though.

A brief mention for Deep Cave and The Doyen Chief, who pulled miles clear of the rest of the field in a three-mile handicap chase in north Wales. I'd say both of these could scoop a nice prize at some point.

Across the Irish Sea on Thursday, Punchestown played host to an eight-race card and the most impressive winner was, by some distance, Gordon Elliott's Koktail Brut. The Gigginstown-owned five-year-old was a smart bumper horse and he surged nine lengths clear of a good yardstick on his hurdling debut over two miles. He might have gone a little under the radar.

Cheltenham's three-day November Meeting kicked off on Friday and I think we saw three potential Festival winners on the card.

Wade Out was given an outstanding ride by the inspired Sean Bowen to win a Listed novices' chase over 3m1f and Olly Murphy has name-dropped the National Hunt Chase for the six-year-old son of Shantou. He'll love that trip.

The most-impressive winner of the afternoon was L'Eau Du Sud for the all-conquering Skeltons. Last year's Arkle fourth bolted up by 15 lengths from Jonbon, who only maintained his record of always finishing in the first two because of Matata's mistake at the last.

I don't think that was the best version of Jonbon but it's hard to deny the signs of regression over the last 12 months. He wouldn't be on my radar for any race at the Festival, unfortunately. L'Eau Du Sud is very much in the Champion Chase (10/1) picture now, but once again I'm left with the same overriding thought - just how good is Majborough?

On the topic of potential, I was incredibly taken by No Drama This End in the Grade 2 novices' hurdle over 2m5f. To do what he did, beating the Champion Bumper runner-up who was already a maiden hurdle winner, on his debut over timber can't be underestimated. Paul Nicholls' five-year-old is the new Turners favourite at 10/1 (for now), but I'd much prefer to see him in the Albert Bartlett. I wouldn't be in a rush to oppose him in that.

I'm going on a bit (sorry), so I'll give you a whistle stop tour of the weekend's action.

One Horse Town is 16/1 for the Triumph after winning the Trial on Saturday for Harry Derham. He's unbeaten in four starts and is clearly a nice horse, but I'd be very surprised if the Irish don't have one, two or three better.

Similarly, July Flower got the better of Be Aware in the Arkle Trial and in a sub-par year I'd give her a fine chance in the big one in March. However, there's a couple of performances I'll dissect in next week's column that lower her chances. Significantly.

Panic Attack won another big early-season race - the Paddy Power Gold Cup - for the Skeltons and you can expect to see her in many of those big handicap chases throughout the season. She might be a bit exposed in the handicap come March, though.

I put up Meetmebythesea as my Nap on Saturday and he obliged under the brilliant Callum Pritchard. He should continue to progress and I suspect Ben Pauling has a spring handicap in mind. The novices' handicap or the Plate seem the obvious targets.

Egg on face time on Sunday as I nonchalantly ruled out Marble Sands, a horse I've backed countless times, in a 3m3f handicap chase on account of him not staying the trip on heavy ground. He made me look silly. Big time. He's so unexposed in that aspect and could be an Ultima type - or maybe even a Grand National bid?

Alexei continued his rapid rise through the handicap ranks by winning the Greatwood for the red-hot Joe Tizzard. How far can he go? He's 40/1 for the Champion Hurdle. That's fanciful, but I like him a lot.

Finally, two from Navan on Sunday - staring with Kalypso'chance who bounced right back to form to land the Monksfield Novice Hurdle in the style of a dour stayer. I suspect Gordon Elliott will have the Albert Bartlett in mind for the son of Masked Marvel, who showed loads of ability on the level. I think he's overpriced at 25/1.

Talk about saving the best till last. Final Demand, who's only defeat over hurdles was to The New Lion in the Turners, made a stunning debut over fences for Willie Mullins. He jumped impeccably, as good as I've ever seen from a novice, and put 13 lengths between him and the useful Wingmen. I can't see anything beating that this season. Nothing.

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