Jade shines on glory run
ELLIOTT’S STAR DOMINATES RIVALS
APPLE’S JADE produced a stunning display to claim her third victory in the baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.
Gordon Elliott’s brilliant mare had claimed the Grade One contest in each of the last two seasons and having warmed up for her hat-trick bid with an impressive comeback victory in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan — just as she did last year — she was sent off the 4/6 favourite in the hands of Jack Kennedy.
Patrick Mullins set out to make it a strong test aboard Wicklow Brave, with Apple’s Jade always his nearest pursuer.
The pair opened up a healthy advantage over the rest of the field racing down the back straight, before Apple’s Jade took over rounding the home turn seemingly still full of running.
It was clear at the top of the home straight she had the race in her grasp if she safely negotiated the remaining two obstacles, and she jumped both with aplomb to become the third three-time winner of the Hatton’s Grace along with the hugely popular Limestone Lad and Solerina.
Last season’s Irish Champion Hurdle hero Supasundae was under pressure a long way from home, but boxed on to finish second, some 20 lengths behind the dominant winner.
Limini fared best of the fourstrong Willie Mullins contingent in third.
Elliott said: ‘You are always nervous when you’ve got something like her running, and when she went down and jumped the last it was a big relief.
‘Horses like her are what the public want to see and I’m lucky enough to be training her.
‘Jack said he knew halfway down the back there was plenty there. She loves a fight and is something else.
‘I’d say she will follow a similar campaign to last year.’
Owner Michael O’Leary said Apple’s Jade will again be aimed at the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham next March rather than the Champion Hurdle. Samcro, despite a comprehensive defeat to Buveur D’Air at Newcastle on Saturday, remains Elliott and O’Leary’s main Champion Hurdle contender. ‘We were reasonably happy with [Samcro’s] run — he got well spanked by Buveur D’Air, but Buveur D’Air is a double champion and he was 15 lengths clear of last season’s Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner (Summerville Boy),’ said O’Leary.
‘So I see no reason to change the plan, the plan was always we’d keep him hurdling this year and hopefully he’ll go to Leopardstown at Christmas for the Ryanair Hurdle and he’ll go hopefully back to Leopardstown in February for the Irish Champion Hurdle there.
‘Then we’ll take on Buveur D’Air again at Cheltenham — there’s no point in giving Buveur D’Air the Champion Hurdle trophy today, so let’s see what happens.’
Elliott also landed the Grade One Drinmore Novice Chase yesterday when Delta Work proved too strong for Le Richebourg in a driving finish.
‘He jumped well and showed a good attitude. You would love the way he picked up from the back of the last after missing it,’ said Elliott.
‘He’s not the biggest, most robust horse in the world, but he’s a nice horse and we’re lucky to have him.
‘I’d imagine Leopardstown at Christmas will be the plan.’
Quick Grabim gave Willie Mullins his eighth victory in the Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.
It is 20 years since the champion trainer first landed the Grade One prize with Alexander Banquet and he has since extended his tally with the likes of Hurricane Fly (2008) and Nichols Canyon (2014).
Quick Grabim was a heavilysupported even-money favourite under Ruby Walsh, who sent his mount straight to the lead and steadily raised the tempo before coming home three and threequarter lengths clear of the staying-on Triplicate.
Mullins said: ‘I thought Ruby was tactically brilliant today.
‘He jumped out in front and saw there was no pace. We were hoping someone else might make the pace, so Ruby made the running, slowed it down and then caught them on the hop. He had the horse to do it.
‘He got him settled and Ruby had him jumping so slick and that was probably the winning of the race,’ he added.