Gordon Elliott: Apple's Jade still not force of old despite Leopardstown win

Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle | 3m | RTV | 5yo+

Like a good Irish wedding, first we toast absent friends who couldn’t be here. Presenting Percy, who has won this race for the last two years, would have had a major say had connections not opted to wait for Leopardstown, but the party goes on and what a spectacle we have to look forward to.

Apple’s Jade proved the ink on her epitaph was still wet when running her rivals ragged from the front in the Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle at Leopardstown.

However, the 11-time Grade 1 winner has raced against Benie Des Dieux twice before, and twice she's been beaten.

Willie Mullins had flirted with the idea of sending Benie Des Dieux, last seen winning the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil, straight to Cheltenham, but the fact she reappears less than six weeks before the festival suggests she’s working particularly well on the Closutton gallops.

The vibes emanating from the Apple’s Jade camp couldn’t be deemed positive. Despite Apple’s Jade coming back to life at Leopardstown last month, Gordon Elliott remains convinced the great mare is operating a couple of notches below her best.

If that is the case, even with race-fitness on her side, Apple’s Jade may struggle to beat Benie Des Dieux for the first time.

Should Apple’s Jade or Benie Des Dieux win, it would represent the first triumph for a mare in the race since Celestial Wave for Adrian Maguire and Conor O’Dwyer in 2007. It looks a match between the two, who share a joint-top rating of 157.

Benie Des Dieux: has twice finished ahead of Apple's JadeCredit: Patrick McCann

Penhill, winner of the 2018 Stayers' Hurdle, has been blighted by training issues throughout the last couple of seasons, but appears to be approaching peak fitness after a respectable third to Apple's Jade at Christmas.

It's conceivable he can progress from that effort, which is only his second start since returning from a 584-day absence, and he rates the major danger.

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Apple's Jade and Death Duty
Apple's Jade is in good form but obviously Benie Des Dieux is going to be hard to beat. It was great for her to win her 11th Grade 1 at Leopardstown, but I wouldn't say she's working as well as she was last year, so we'll see how she gets on. I know she won well at Leopardstown but I still don't think she's the same mare we saw this time last year. We'll see what happens. Death Duty has been off the track for nearly two years and he'll improve for the run.

Willie Mullins, trainer of Benie Des Dieux, Killultagh Vic and Penhill
I'm happy with Benie Des Dieux, so we decided to let her take her chance. Killultagh Vic and Penhill needed their runs at Christmas and I'd be expecting them to come on a lot for that. The ground is going to be tough but my three will go well on it.

Joseph O’Brien, trainer of Gardens Of Babylon
He's probably up against it at the weights. Hopefully, he can pick up some place prize-money.

Martin Hassett, trainer of Mary Frances
We’re probably bonkers running her in a race as good as this but we’re hunting black-type and this has been the plan for a while. There aren’t many options for a mare like her who wants heavy ground and a trip, so hopefully a few of these under perform. If she was placed it’d be great.

Racing Post backs responsible gambling. 18+begambleaware.org