Punchestown plan for Apple’s Jade

Horse Racing
Elliott ponders Punchestown options for Apple's Jade

Apple’s Jade will go to next month’s Punchestown Festival in a bid to bounce back from her disappointing Champion Hurdle performance.

The Gordon Elliott-trained seven-year-old was expected to be one of the main contenders to win the two-mile Grade One event having gone into last week’s Cheltenham Festival on the back of successive wins in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse and the Christmas Hurdle and Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

However, following an uncharacteristic sixth-placed finish at Prestbury Park, Elliott revealed that Apple’s Jade had returned a dirty scope and the plan is now to head to Punchestown in a bid to get back on track.

He said: ‘She scoped dirty after the race.

We thought she was in great form going over – but to me, she was beaten after two hurdles.

‘She stepped into the second hurdle, and she never looked happy at all afterwards.

‘She’ll be back for Punchestown, all being well – that would be the plan.

She’ll be entered in everything.

‘Take nothing away from the winner (Espoir D’Allen).

I don’t know if any horse on the day would have beaten him – he was very impressive.’

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