Apple's Jade delights Elliott in Lismullen Hurdle

Apple's Jade raced with plenty of zeal as she made all in Navan's Grade Two Lismullen Hurdle.

The seven-time Grade-One winner was pushed along by Jack Kennedy to take a few lengths out of the pursuers coming to the second-last.

She raced clear on the approach to the last and popped it well to come home by 11 lengths and justify even-money favouritism. Jezki came in second at 10/1.

This repeated her victory in the same race last year.

Gordon Elliott said: "She was good there today and we're delighted.

“She had to do the donkey work and she'll even come on a little bit from the run but we're delighted, it was a great run.

“We'll go to Fairyhouse now for the Hatton's Grace. I was very happy and she was a different mare than she was on her last two runs.

“It was nice to get her back on track. She showed a lot of her old spark.

“If you look at her before and after the race she's a different mare. She was dead as a maggot when she was in season but she's like a bull going around there today.

“Jack said she jumped a little bit right but she always does that. With a bit of company she'll be better but we had to make the running because we didn't want it to turn into a sprint.”

Jack Kennedy added: "Brilliant to get back on her; such a nice mare and for her to be back to herself today is great.

"She felt like she did at the start of the season last year, so hopefully she can continue.

"It is (jumping right becoming a trait). Being out in front on her own I think she gets a little bit idle but later on in the race she was as straight as a die." Identity Thief broke down after the second-last, when holding every chance, and suffered a fatal injury.

Paddy Power trimmed Apple's Jade from 4/1 to 3/1 for the OLBG Mares' Hurdle.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson