Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Apple is the pick
TOP-CLASS mare Apple’s Jade, a five-time Grade 1 winner, will make her seasonal debut in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle in Navan on Sunday. Conqueror of Vroum Vroum Mag in both the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and Cheltenham’s OLBG Mares Hurdle, Gordon Elliott’s charge was last seen when bolting-up in a Grade 1 mares event at the Punchestown Festival. As the national Hunt season swings into top gear, the weekend action, in Naas (Saturday) and Navan (Sunday), featured three Grade 2 events and three at Grade 3 level. And a number of exciting novices are likely to feature, including Red Jack, Samcro, Bacardys, making his chasing bow, and Mengli Khan.