CHAMPION HURDLE FLOP Apple’s Jade has been given two entries at next week’s Grand National meeting with connections set to decide over the weekend whether to make the journey to Aintree or wait for the Punchestown Festival.
The 10-time Grade 1 winner disappointed when managing only sixth having been sent off favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, but the seven-year-old was reported to have scoped dirty.
Consequently connections are biding their time before committing to her next target.
“Apple’s Jade has been entered for the Betway Aintree Hurdle over two and a half miles on Thursday and for the Ryanair Stayers Hurdle on Grand National day,” said trainer Gordon Elliot.
She’s not certain to travel and we’ll wait and see how things go with her over the weekend.”
Samcro’s return
The star mare’s stablemate Samcro, who missed the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, has been entered for the Betway Aintree Hurdle and a decision on his participation will also be made after he works this weekend.
The seven-year-old, a dual Grade 1 winner as a novice last season when he landed the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, has failed to win in three starts this season.
He has not run since disappointing in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown in December after which he was found to be suffering from a deep-rooted lung infection.
A tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham was considered before it was decided to give him more time and to concentrate on Aintree and Punchestown.
- Brian Fleming, for more visit the Racing Post
Murray Kinsella and Bernard Jackman look ahead to a huge weekend for the provinces in Europe and Ryan Bailey catches up with Ian Keatley on the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly:
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