All eyes on Jade’s bid to reclaim form of old
APPLE’S JADE will bid to prove she retains plenty of her old ability when she goes in search of a fourthsuccessive win in the baroneracing.com Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse today. After being at her scintillating best in the first half of last season, with wins in this race, the Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown and the Irish Champion Hurdle, Gordon Elliott’s ace finished the campaign in disappointing fashion.
Defeats at Cheltenham, Aintree and Punchestown were put down to her not being at her best in the second part of the campaign, but when she was well beaten on her return to action this season, Elliott started to think the rigours of competing at the top level for so long might have caught up with her.
‘Nothing came to light after her first run, but she’s been competing at the top level for four years and she’s won 10 Grade Ones,’ said Elliott. ‘I think she’s improved from her last run, but whether she’s quite what she was, I don’t know – but she is in good form.
‘It’s very hard for the fillies and she’s been running at the top level since she was three. She looks a lot better, so we’ll see, but I’d say it’s a better Hatton’s Grace than it’s been for a while, it’s a good race.’
Another smart mare in the line-up is Henry de Bromhead’s unbeaten five-year-old Honeysuckle.
‘She’s a Grade One winner and she likes Fairyhouse. You have to go into these races at some stage, so we’ll give it a go and see,’ said De Bromhead.
Willie Mullins runs three of the six runners, with Bacardys, who beat Apple’s Jade in the Lismullen Hurdle, and Penhill, who is returning to action having missed all of last year, as well as Killultagh Vic. ‘Bacardys has the recent form,’ said Mullins.
‘Penhill is coming back from a long break, but he went very well the other day in a schooling gallop. I’ve just changed tack with him this year and hopefully he’ll stay sound.
‘If he stays sound we’ll head on to Cheltenham and if he doesn’t we’ll pull stumps and probably end up retiring him,’ he added.
‘Killultagh Vic is probably the one that’s going to find it hardest on the day.’
Joe Walsh’s Davids Charm completes the field.
Elliott is confident Samcro can continue his resurgence in the Baroneracing.com Drinmore Novice Chase, the second of the three Grade 1 races at the Meath track.
The seven-year-old looked a superstar in the making as a bumper horse and novice hurdler, but fell in the 2018 Punchestown Champion Hurdle and the plug was pulled on last season before the new year after three underwhelming performances.
However, the son of Germany looked much more like his old self when making a winning return to action on his fencing bow at Down Royal a month ago.
‘I was very happy with what he did first time out,’ said the Cullentra handler.
‘He’s scoping clean this year, I couldn’t get him to scope right last year but this year he is, so we’re happy.
‘Samcro has been moved to a new stable we’ve had built for him where he can walk outside if he wants. It just means that he can have fresh air the whole time, which after the problems of last year is a good thing. If he wants he can go into a woodchip paddock.
‘He was bred to be – and bought to be – a chaser and in hindsight it was probably not the wisest thing to try to turn him into a Champion Hurdle horse last season.’
Samcro might not have things all his own way, with Mullins confident last season’s Irish Grand National hero Burrows Saint can, at least, give him a run for his money before his novice status expires. ‘He has a
nice rating, albeit gained over a mile further. I think with the testing conditions, he has a chance,’ said Mullins. ‘It’s good prize-money, so we’ll take our chance.’
Mullins also runs Chef Des Obeaux, formerly with Nicky Henderson, while Elliott has a second string to his bow in Tintangle.
The field is completed by the Ronald Pump – supplemented by Matthew Smith – and Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old Fakir D’oudairies.
Elliott appears to hold a very strong hand in the baroneracing. com Royal Bond Novice Hurdle, with last season’s Champion Bumper hero Envoi Allen joined by high-class stablemate Abacadabras.
‘Envoi looks good. Abacadabras is a speedy type, whereas I can see Envoi Allen stepping out in trip before the season is out,’ said Elliott.
‘Envoi is the type of horse who will carry on improving with every run he has. We’ve got some nice novice hurdlers this season and they are what you need, as they are the future.’