Majborough favored to win Arkle Trophy at Cheltenham

Majborough, trained by Willie Mullins and owned by JP McManus, is a favorite for the Arkle Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival. Mullins aims to extend his record of 103 festival winners, while McManus brings a strong squad of contenders. The festival opens with the Supreme Novices Hurdle, honoring late jockey Michael O’Sullivan, who recently passed away. Mullins has half of the runners in this race, with Kopes Des Bordes as a leading contender. Attendance at the festival is expected to be lower this year, with the Jockey Club estimating over 200,000 visitors. This follows a decline from 280,000 in 2022 to nearly 230,000 last year.