Horse In Pofile: Sa Majeste

Willie Mullins’ assault on the UK Trainers' Championship meant a stark reduction in the amount of Closutton runners still entered in the Irish Grand National, with the strong-staying seven-year-old Sa Majeste one of two almost-certain runners for the all-conquering maestro.

Third at the Cheltenham Festival

J P McManus’ gelding has always looked like a through stayer, and his appearance at the festival last month certainly confirmed that impression as he led for most of the 3m2f of the Kim Muir, only to get outpaced in the latter stages.

He will have an 8lb swing from that race with the O’Neill’s Johnnywho, should that one reoppose at Fairyhouse, with the extra three furlongs of the Irish national likely to be of some benefit to the Mullins horse.

Manofthepeople, who disputed the lead of the Kim Muir for much of the way alongside Sa Majeste and finished just behind him, gave the form a timely boost with an easy victory back at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Victory in France was followed by switch to Mullins

The son of Top Trip, a middle-distance Group 2 winner in France and third in the 2013 Gold Cup, has been a slow burner, having only seen the racecourse 11 times in all.

The first two of those outings were at Auteuil, where he showed enough when winning a 2m2f 4yo hurdle on his second start to end up in the care of the perennial Champion trainer.

Hurdles promise

After defeat on his debut for Mullins, he took the notable scalp of 2022 Grand National winner Noble Yeats on his next run where he displayed plenty of grit and promise of more to come over staying trips.

His last two runs of the 2023/24 season, and last over hurdles, both came in Britain where he was outpaced in the Coral Cup before performing better on the final day of the British season at Sandown in April.

Chasing sees him in a better light

This season has been all about chasing for Sa Majeste, and the well-trodden route of small-field novice chases, a go in a Graded contest, and various trips before making his handicap debut last time.

While unsurprisingly no match for Impaire Et Passe over 2m 3 1/2f, he nevertheless has gained plenty of jumping experience in his five chase starts, and hasn’t looked like tipping up in any of them.

Two runs ago he won his second chase, notably at Fairyhouse, where it took all of the 3m 1/f trip for him to get his head back in front, having been headed three out. This run and his effort at Cheltenham makes the 3m5f trip of the Irish National look a likely good fit.