APPLE'S Jade just pipped Vroum Vroum Mag as the mares dominated the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Just eight days after coming off a narrow second-best in a tight finish for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle, Gordon Elliott's winner showed her durability by proving that had left no mark on her.

Vroum Vroum Mag looked sure to oblige running to the second-last as Ruby Walsh appeared to have everything covered. Bryan Cooper, who had taken a nasty-looking fall just half an hour earlier in the Royal Bond, was asking for everything on the Gigginstown House Stud-owned four-year-old and she kept on responding.

This was a return to something like the form which saw her win a Grade 1 by 41 lengths at Aintree last season, when she was trained by Willie Mullins, the man responsible for Vroum Vroum Mag.

Sent off at 4-1, Apple's Jade perhaps showed the advantage of race fitness in coming out on top in the photo finish, inflicting a first defeat on Vroum Vroum Mag in 11 races.

Cooper said: "I didn't think I'd be riding again after the fall, thank god the impact was on my left leg, the better of the two!

"She's so tough, I made the call last week (to ride Petit Mouchoir) and I maintain that was right, but she is progressing with each race. I didn't know she's be coming here last week but it was a fair call, she was bouncing and if she came back to her form of last year she had to have a chance.

"Gordon told me I knew her, I knew she stayed and last year at Aintree I felt she was a stayer. She's only four, maybe in two years she'll be a World Hurdle horse, this year the Mares' Hurdle over two-five might be her race, but I'll leave that to others to decide."

Elliott said: "It's great it worked out. She had a hard race last week, but I'm in a lucky position training for Gigginstown and they left it up to me - she actually weighed more than before she went to Newcastle. I'm delighted for Bryan as he needed that. She's so brave and I'd say she needs three miles before the season is out."

Gigginstown boss Michael O'Leary said: "Gordon wasn't going to run her, but she bounced out of Newcastle so well. I think she probably suffered a bit in the transition from Willie's to Gordon's and she probably wasn't fit enough first time at Down Royal.

"Newcastle brought her on a ton and Gordon said we either run here or over three miles at Christmas - we didn't want to do that so early. She'll have a break now until after Christmas, it's great for Gordon and great for Bryan and I have to say thanks to Willie and to Harold Kirk who bought her, without them we wouldn't own her.

"Bryan's having plenty of winners, but he's had an awful lot of injuries - it's always good to beat Ruby in a tight finish, it probably adds a bit of cream on top."

UNBEATEN RECORD

Airlie Beach made just about all the running to maintain her unbeaten record and beat the boys in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle.

Seen as perhaps the third string from Willie Mullins' yard with Ruby Walsh on Penhill and Paul Townend on Saturnas, the six-year-old ran out a clear-cut winner. Pestered for the early lead by Le Martalin, she had seen him off by the second-last but the favourite Peace News was just coming to make his challenge when he came down, giving Bryan Cooper another nasty spill. He in turn interfered with Forge Meadow and Penhill, leaving Airlie Beach clear in front.

Airlie Beach (4-1) took her record to seven from seven and came home six and a half lengths clear of stablemate Saturnas under Danny Mullins to provide owners Supreme Horse Racing Club with a first Grade 1 win. Gordon Elliott's Labaik once again refused to race.

The winning rider said: "I spoke to my agent Ken Whelan last night and I told him I was a little bit confident this one would run well. It worked out well. The winning of it was probably being able to get a breather before the third-last.

"Once I took the second-last well I knew I wouldn't stop and it would take a very good one to beat me. Sean Flanagan (Le Martalin) took me on early, but both of us knew we couldn't keep that up so we steadied and quickened again."

Mullins said: "She jumped really well compared to my other two. Plan A worked for her anyway. We planned to jump off up there and take the race by the scruff of the neck, which she did, and she's a mare that keeps improving.

"I never dreamt that she'd be a Grade 1 mare. It's an extraordinary result for her and for Supreme Racing. She's a fantastic jumper and gallops all day."

DRINMORE CHASE

Coney Island broke his duck over fences in the Grade 1 Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase. He travelled with supreme ease and jumped with aplomb, despite being the first choice of owner JP McManus' retained rider Barry Geraghty, who was on the second, Anibale Fly.

Mouse Morris' Alpha Des Obeaux tried to make all and jumped with speed at the head of affairs and was asking them all a question stretch turning into the straight. All bar Coney Island (8-1), that is, who was still hard on the bridle for Mark Walsh. He absolutely pinged the last and there appeared no excuses for any of the beaten horses as he won by two and a quarter lengths.

Coney Island was providing trainer Eddie Harty with his first Grade 1 win since Captain Cee Bee in the Ryanair Novice Chase of 2010.

Walsh said: "He was electric and never missed a beat. I just didn't want to get to the front to soon, but I kicked on approaching the last and he pinged it. It's no surprise, he was second in a Grade 1 last year and he's just about to turn six - he's exciting."

Harty said: "He was unlucky not a win a Grade 1 at Punchestown, but it's a while since we've had one. We knew we had a Grade 1 horse then, so you've got to treat them right when you get them.

"He ran a lovely race at Punchestown first time up and the one thing Mark did say was that he needs more pace, so we had him in this race and it was a case of this or a beginners', but thse are nearly graded races anyway.

"We took a shot and it paid off. He has plenty of pace, gears and jumps great, a lot to look forward to. He's in the three-mile Grade 1 novice at Christmas, we'll see how he is. You'd like to think he's a Gold Cup horse, but you hate to say those things, you need a lot to go right."

LANDOFHOPEANDGLORY

A good jump at the last helped JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Landofhopeandglory maintain his unbeaten jumping record in the Grade 3 Bar One Racing Juvenile Hurdle.

The classy Flat performer had not been tested in his first two outings over timber and was sent off the even-money favourite to win again for Joseph O'Brien. However, he had a real fight on his hands as the Willie Mullins-trained Bapaume had them all on the stretch.

It all came down to who jumped the final flight the best and while Ruby Walsh's mount landed on all fours, the High Chaparral gelding flew it under Barry Geraghty and went on to win by a length.

Geraghty said: "It rode like a decent race. It was a bit tactical and Ruby was trying to dictate from the front, which we were all aware of, but when you have the horse it's always much easier. He missed the second-last, but I made his mind up going to the last and he winged it. He's shaping up to be a Triumph Hurdle horse."

O'Brien said: "It was a good performance. They kind of sprinted down over the last two. He had to be right and Barry gave him a great ride. It was his biggest test so far. We'd have to think about Christmas now. It will be one step at a time with him, but you'd be delighted with today.

"The faster they go for him, the better he'll be you'd imagine. I was delighted with that and Barry was delighted. He jumped better today, he was a bit more measured. Barry said he was a bit big at the first, but other than that he was a bit better. Each race that is getting better.

"It's probably as good a three-year-old hurdle as has been run in Ireland anyway."

Asked to compare with last season's Triumph winner Ivanovich Gorbatov he said: "Ivanovich went to Christmas for his maiden, while this lad is after having three runs. They are different models and it's hard to compare the two of them because they aren't similar types really."

Stan James make the winner their 7-1 market leader for the Triumph at Cheltenham in March from 8-1.

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