“She’s gone.”

The words I heard from one racegoer watching the closing stages of the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan yesterday. The punter was of course referring to Apple’s Jade, and not in relation to her chance of winning the Grade 2 hurdle she had won the previous two renewals of but her career in general, after she laboured to a nine-and-half-length defeat at the hands of Bacardys.

I’d forgive such an assessment considering it was made in such close proximity to the event, when judgement can be clouded. I’d have less time for those who came to the same conclusion later yesterday evening, given the benefit of both time and a computer.

Let’s put a bit of context around this. This was Apple’s Jade getting beaten on her seasonal debut. It was disappointing but understandable. Like a lot of horses, she has underperformed on her first run coming off a break. Rashaan beat her at Down Royal once. She was all out to beat Jer’s Girl returning in this race two seasons ago. Even last year, though she won the Lismullen by 11 lengths, her main market rival Identity Thief stumbled and pulled up quickly after sadly suffering a fatal injury at the second last.

Two seasons ago, after winning the Hatton’s Grace Hurdle impressively, she was given an 80-day break before returning to suffer defeat to Limini in a listed race at Punchestown. She turned that form around at Cheltenham in a brilliant renewal of the Mares Hurdle. She is a mare that thrives on racing.

So the fact that she was beaten yesterday on soft to heavy ground, splitting a talented Grade 1 winner and last year’s Grand National runner-up (Magic Of Light) really shouldn’t cause such drastic concern.

Some have pointed to the fact that she had a very busy time of it last season and 24 career starts are now taking their toll. She ran seven times last season, more or less once a month, winning four times, being competitive in defeat twice and one disappointing run in the Champion Hurdle.

It should be praised that she was campaigned so often - showing up at all the top festivals. This comes at a time when more and more big-name jumpers are wrapped up in cotton wool, something which is widely criticised on social media platforms.

That’s not the only contradiction. Some have even suggested she should retired to the breeding shed. Well for one, her owner is not remotely interested in such. That’s not why the O’Learys are in the jumps game. They’d rather race on and compete and that is something every jumps fan should be thankful for, because if you were to give one reason why people prefer the jumps to the flat, it would be that the big name horses come back year after year allowing an affinity to be struck.

Apple’s Jade is still only seven. The reason she has been raced so much in a short career is because of her soundness, consistency and class. Yesterday was her 24th start. Hurricane Fly won an Irish Champion Hurdle on his 24th start. Kauto Star won his second King George on his.

With 10 Grade 1 wins, Apple’s Jade deserves to be in the same bracket as those sort of names. She’ll go to Fairyhouse next to try and win a record four Hatton’s Grace Hurdles. With the benefit of this run, a return to a right-handed track and a fair chance regular partner Jack Kennedy will be back in the saddle, she’ll have every chance of getting back into the winners’ enclosure.

On a weekend full of really impressive comeback/start-off performances, I thought the winning effort of Cilaos Emery in the Grade 3 Poplar Square Chase at Naas on Saturday was the most interesting.

The seven-year-old son of Califet was having just his second ever start over fences and his first start of the season. He jumped a little out to his right in the first half of the race but he improved coming out of the back straight and then showed real class to dispose of Ornua in the straight, going right away for an 11-length win.

It’s important to note he was receiving all of 11lbs from Ornua but Henry de Bromhead’s horse is a Grade 1 winner, and it’s unlikely the weight concession was the entire difference-maker given the winning margin.

Cilaos Emery only ran once last season but he was impressive - winning a beginners chase at Gowran Park on Thyestes day that could hardly have worked out better. Impact Factor, Duc Des Genievres and Ex Patriot - the three immediate horses that followed him home that day - have all significantly boosted that form since.

Unfortunately an injury ruled him out of the Cheltenham Festival but he’s young and lightly-raced and he can make up for lost time now. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him progress to Grade 1 level this season.

This week we’re going to be building up nicely to one of the best weekends of racing in the jumps season, with Cheltenham’s November meeting dovetailing Morgiana Hurdle day at Punchestown.

Front and centre is the BetVictor Gold Cup which as always, looks an enticing puzzle to solve with a large emphasis on second-season chasers trying to improve past their handicap marks.

Slate House is going to be all the rage. An expensive purchase out of the Irish point-to-point scene, he has always been well touted but failed to make much of an impact on both of his novice seasons on the track. However on his first start of the season and since undergoing a wind operation, he absolutely bolted up over this course and distance at the Showcase meeting.

Off a 12lb higher mark, he could be a tough nut to crack but one who could beat him is Count Meribel, who could be better treated. He began his season with an excellent effort to finish second to Gold Cup hopeful Lostintranslation at Carlisle. He was definitely flattered by the winning margin of just over two lengths but he was only receiving 6lbs from Colin Tizzard’s 161-rated gelding, and he finished ahead of the 156-rated Kildisart, receiving just 4lbs.

That suggests the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained seven-year-old may have a bit in hand now off 146 and he also has a win over this course and distance, which came at this meeting last season. A general price of 14/1 seems like good value.