Apple's Jade raised the roof at Leopardstown with a third straight win in the Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott's star mare had been well below her best for most of 2019, but there was late confidence in the market that she would return to something like the sparkling form she showed in the first half of last season and she was sent off the 6-4 joint-favourite with Bacardys.
Despite giving ground away by repeatedly jumping out to her right, Jack Kennedy kicked on a mile from home and Killultagh Vic could no longer live with her.
Unowhatimeanharry and Penhill tried to close running to the last, but Apple's Jade had plenty left in reserve to win at the highest level for the 11th time, triumphing by 17 lengths.
She's back! A superb performance from Apple’s Jade in a dominant winning performance in the Frank Ward Memorial Hurdle #rteracing #Leopardstown pic.twitter.com/qBkFbLGZ4I
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) December 28, 2019
Trainer Gordon Elliott could not mask his delight after the race.
"It's days like this... We thought she was gone, but fair play to Jack [Kennedy] and everyone. We are delighted," he told RTÉ Sport.
Kennedy paid tribute to the mare's undoubted pedigree as she claimed her fifth win in five outings at Leopardstown.
"She has had a couple of disappointing runs, but put that behind her today and showed her class... it's brilliant," said the jockey.
Asked how she has managed such a dominant run at the course, Kennedy added: "Possibly the atmosphere, there is always a great atmosphere here. It revs her up a little and she loves it.
"She is very tough. I was kind of getting pushed along the whole way, but it suited her today. She seems to be back to the way she always was and I was happy on her."
