Leopardstown Sun, 1st Feb, 2026  Majborough Mark Walsh was very adamant that he wanted them (cheekpieces) on and that he wanted to ride him his own way. We’d been telling him how to ride him one way and then someone else the next day. Mark said ‘I wanted to do it my way’. We failed so all credit to Mark Walsh. He was terrific. You could see Mark was enjoying it and the horse was enjoying it with him. It was just poetry in motion down the back. I was afraid that he might not have enough left in the tank over the second last, but Mark said to me there that he had plenty in the tank. When horses looked like they might swallow him up going down to the last Mark just gave him a squeeze and he picked up. He threw a terrific jump in at the last and galloped away up the straight. I was wondering over the first three fences if they were going to kill one another and leave it to Marine Nationale but every jump he put in he was getting a half-length or a length off the ones behind him and it all paid off in the end. We’ve had a few funny days, but Mark got the tune out of him today and it was fantastic.

Leopardstown Sun, 1st Feb, 2026  Majborough Mark Walsh was very adamant that he wanted them (cheekpieces) on and that he wanted to ride him his own way. All credit to Mark. He was terrific. You could see Mark was enjoying it and the horse was enjoying it with him. It was just poetry in motion down the back. I was afraid that he might not have enough left in the tank over the second-last, but Mark said to me there that he had plenty in the tank, he threw a terrific jump in at the last and galloped away up the straight. I was wondering over the first three fences if they were going to kill one another and leave it to Marine Nationale, but every jump he put in he was getting a half-length or a length off the ones behind him and it all paid off in the end.