28 December 2019
Archive photo Apple's Jade at Aintree : SCOOPDYGA / PA Images / Icon Sport
The French imports winning spree in Ireland went on Saturday with the victory of Apple’s Jade (Saddler Maker) for the third time in the Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle (Gr1) over 3 miles. The 7-year-old mare bred in France by Richard Coveliers had not won since last February on the same course at Leopardstown. Beaten twice this season, she wore cheekpieces for the first time and while jumping on her right at almost any hurdle, she got out of reach of her pursuers in the final phase. She won by 17 lengths over Unowhatimeanharry (Sir Harry Lewis) and is now unbeaten at Leopardstown in five races there ...
Apple’s Jade was sold in 2015, at 3, after winning her only race in France, over hurdles at Vichy under the training of Emmanuel Clayeux. She is out of Apple's For Ever (Nikos), winner of five hurdle races and chases, and also dam of Apple's Shakira (Saddler Maker), winner of Group 2 after being exported to England following a victory in the same race as her big sister at Vichy. Apple's For Ever's dam Apple's Girl (Le Pontet) was a very good hurdler in France. Trained and ridden by Jean-Yves Artu, she won the Prix Léon Olry-Roederer Hurdle Race (Gr2) at Auteuil in 1997, beating King George winner Algan on that occasion.
A 2-year-old son of Martaline and Apple's For Ever is in training with Guillaume Macaire for owner Pierre Pilarski, and another by Pastorius was born this year.
The other Group 1 on the day at Leopardstown, the Savills Chase (Gr1), over 3 miles, was also won by a jumper from France, the 6 years old AQPS Delta Work (Network), bred in Nièvre by Jean-François and Charles Magnien. Trained by Gordon Elliott, he came to the end just beat the froont-running Monalee (Milan) by a head at the end of a breathtiaking finish.
Third in the RSA Novices ’Chase (Gr1) at the Fesival last March and winner of the novices' championship at Punchestown a month later, Delta Work is now rubbing shoulders with the very best chasers around. Fourth for his return at Down Royal, he has now been shortened from 25/1 to 10/1 in the Cheltenham Gold Cup betting.
Delta Work’s younger brother Elwood (Martaline) was sold for € 170,000 last May in Deauville after a hurdle win at Moulins for trainber Emmanuel Clayeux. He was placed on a few occasions since then in Ireland and has just run his first chase.
Robbe (Vidéo Rock), dam of Delta Work, was placed over jumps and has since given Foster's (Cokoriko), a filly born in 2015 and several times placed for trainer Emmanuel Clayeux, then Gympie (Lord du Sud), Inneston (Doctor Dino) and Jamestown (Doctor Dino).