- This topic has 103 replies, 28 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 8 months ago by
.
-
Posts
-
I’m amazed that Elliot could come out with a statement like that after one average
looking run. I don’t know if she wasn’t fully fit, or if something may come to light
over the next few days (a bad scope or the like) but why rule her out of the Champion
Hurdle when she looked in sparkling form over that distance last year. I hope he has
a rethink, I think the uphill finish at Cheltenham, after the usual take no prisoners
pace in the CH, would be right up her street.Apple’s Jade may have won a Grade 2 last December, but improved a lot when next seen – in to a top class juvenile in the Spring. She could easily be a Spring mare. Far too early to be ruling her out.
Value Is EverythingChampion Hurdle looks off the agenda for Apple’s Jade following shock reverse
Gordon Elliott effectively ruled out a tilt at the Champion Hurdle with Apple’s Jade after she suffered a shock defeat on her seasonal reappearance at Down Royal.
So impressive when winning Grade One events at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring, the four-year-old was making her first start for Elliott in the WKD Hurdle following the well-publicised split between owners Gigginstown House Stud and champion trainer Willie Mullins.
The 1-2 favourite made most of the running under Ruby Walsh, but was unable to shake off her rivals and 10-1 shot Rashaan loomed up as a big danger rounding the home turn.
There was little to choose between the pair jumping the final flight, but Colin Kidd’s stable star was away from it quicker and passed the post a length and a half to the good.
Apple’s Jade was pushed out to 16-1 from 8-1 for the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham by Paddy Power, and Elliott plans to step his filly up in distance on her next start.
He said: “I’m disappointed, but the positive is we haven’t had her that long.
“I know she’ll come on from the run, but she’ll not be winning any Champion Hurdle, that’s one thing I will tell you.
“She did jump well, she just looked slow. If you look at those Triumph Hurdle horses over the years, they do want a trip.
“We’ll step her up in trip and she’ll win loads of races.”
Apple’s Jade may have won a Grade 2 last December, but improved a lot when next seen – in to a top class juvenile in the Spring. She could easily be a Spring mare. Far too early to be ruling her out.
Agree with that Ginger
“I know she’ll come on from the run, but she’ll not be winning any Champion Hurdle, that’s one thing I will tell you.
“She did jump well, she just looked slow. If you look at those Triumph Hurdle horses over the years, they do want a trip.
“We’ll step her up in trip and she’ll win loads of races.”
The way I’d describe it is, she won’t be winning a Champion Hurdle on that run. Come February/March we might hear Apple’s Jade is showing more speed at home.
Value Is Everythingoh well start lumping on for the world hurdle then mr elliot
Well clearly he hasn’t lumped on for the Champion Hurdle!
On today’s performance she would be pushed to win a Grade 1 at any trip.
oh well start lumping on for the world hurdle then mr elliot
Well clearly he hasn’t lumped on for the Champion Hurdle!
On today’s performance she would be pushed to win a Grade 1 at any trip.
Exactly Stilvi, this wasn’t near last season’s 2 mile form. Therefore, imo stamina requirements can not be judged on today’s performance.
Value Is EverythingIt’s generally dangerous I think to bet short priced NH favourites first time out especially if they are up against relatively fit horses. Apple’s Jade follows Cue Card and Garde la Victoire in being turned over by a horse with a run under its belt.
Yes, she did look slow, woeful in fact but unless there is a problem the question Elliott should be asking is why she has gone from looking exceptional to very ordinary in one run for his yard. She didn’t look slow when she quickened clear in the Triumph and she didn’t look slow in her subsequent runs.
If she were mine I would get Cooper back on board, wait for a little softer ground and give her another shot over two miles. When the dust settles hopefully that is what will happen.
Agree 100% with this.
Apple’s Jade certainly didn’t look slow last season; my thoughts on the matter are that Elliott has simply made a pig’s ear of her preparation this season and doesn’t want to admit it.
Over the last couple of months, all he’s been saying that she’ll start off “in the 4yo race at Naas in November”; I’ve seen him repeatedly state this on television and read it in the press. I’m going to take that as meaning the Fishery Lane Hurdle, a Grade 3 scheduled for next Saturday (the 12th). That race was worth €21,125 to the winner last year; the Down Royal race (a Grade 2) in which she ran yesterday was worth €29,500. I suspect that he’s decided to send her for the bigger pot and thought that she could get away with it while still a tad undercooked; clearly, she’s further off full fitness than connections expected as she would have carried this lot on last season’s form.
If Elliott had stuck to the original plan, the extra week and probable softer ground at Naas would have benefited Apple’s Jade enormously and she would probably have hacked up and been vying for Champion Hurdle favouritism. To write her off as a Champion Hurdle prospect after one defeat when clearly short of race fitness is folly.
If anyone was doubting Gordon Elliot/thinking it was a heat of a moment comment about Apples Jade not going champion hurdle then look for his interview he just gave ATR in the last 5 mins. He doesn’t see her having a hope in the champion hurdle, says she needs a trip and definitely goes up in distance. Brutally honest.
Bin the champion hurdle dockets ladsElliots probably got some plot job in mind for the festival, get it beat twice more, get her down in the weights a little then send her to the Coral Cup or Martin Pipe
If anyone was doubting Gordon Elliot/thinking it was a heat of a moment comment about Apples Jade not going champion hurdle then look for his interview he just gave ATR in the last 5 mins. He doesn’t see her having a hope in the champion hurdle, says she needs a trip and definitely goes up in distance. Brutally honest.
Bin the champion hurdle dockets ladsBrutally honest or just idiotic? I don’t doubt for one moment that the man is full of bluster and this just looks like another attempt to justify himself. To borrow a phrase from a commentator ‘let’s see what happens’.
I know if I owned the horse I would want to know the answer to the question I asked earlier before deciding on any future plans.
http://www.racingpost.com/news/live.sd?event_id=21447024&category=0
Apple’s Jade looks set to stick to her own sex
By David Jennings 8:11AM 8 NOV 2016THE OLBG Mares’ Hurdle has emerged as the long-term aim for Apple’s Jade after Gordon Elliott revealed he is keen to step her up in trip and keep her against her own sex.
Apple’s Jade was last season’s outstanding juvenile, winning Grade 1s at Aintree and Punchestown by wide margins, but she made a tame debut for Elliott in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal on Friday and a Champion Hurdle challenge now looks increasingly unlikely.
“I will have to have a chat with the lads [Gigginstown] about her before deciding anything but I wouldn’t be surprised if we stepped her up in trip and kept her against her own sex,” Elliott said.
He added: “Maybe we should be questioning the juvenile form of last year after the way Ivanovich Gorbatov ran at Naas on Sunday. They might not have been the best bunch. I was disappointed after Apple’s Jade but we need to step her up in trip. If the ground came up soft we might have a think about the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse early next month but I’d be keen for her to stick to her own sex.”
Apple’s Jade is a standout 11-2 with Paddy Power for the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle but is as short as 3-1. She is a top price 16-1 for the Champion Hurdle having started last Friday a general 8-1 shot.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.