Majala

Majala is really getting his act together now as a second-season novice chaser, and he impressed in winning a two-mile novice chase at Haydock last Saturday. He travelled well throughout in front, racing out wide on what was nearly unraceable ground, he jumped from fence to fence down the back straight and started to turn the screw on the run around into the home straight. He was still going strongly over the fourth last and he jumped well up the home straight before coming right away on the run-in.

The Lavirco gelding has now had five runs in Britain and, having been a little disappointing in three runs last season, he is now flourishing, this win following one in a beginners’ chase at Taunton. He appears really well suited to forcing tactics over two miles and he still has more scope for progression now that he seems to have acclimatised fully. It remains to be seen quite how effective he will be on better ground, he is yet to encounter anything quicker than soft, but he is certainly very effective in these conditions and he can win more races with the ground as it is just about everywhere.

22nd December 2012