Jade brilliant at Aintree

Willie Mullins' Apple's Jade trounced her rivals in the Grade One Betfred Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree.

Runner-up in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, the filly comprehensively reversed the form with Ivanovich Gorbatov on the softer ground.

Azzurri went out in front and ensured that this was run at a proper pace but all of the field were struggling turning for home with the exception of Bryan Cooper's mount whose winning margin was a staggering 41 lengths.

The 7/4 favourite Ivanovich Gorbatov looked in trouble from an early stage but battled on bravely to claim second with Azzuri holding on for third. Footpad a stablemate of Apple's Jade, fell at the fourth-last flight. Both horse and jockey Ruby Walsh appeared to escape unscathed.

The first prize of over £56,000 was a boost for Mullins who has brought a strong team to Aintree in the hope of becoming the first Irish based handler to win the British Trainer's Championship since the last of Vincent O'Brien's titles in 1953-54.

Cooper said: "I knew turning in there was not much coming from behind me. I got lovely breather into her and a nice lead. She is very good at jumping and I'd say the Triumph probably left her right for today.

"She had a long break since her run at Christmas time and I think she has improved. David Casey and Ruby Walsh had said she'd improved a bit since Cheltenham and I'd say they are dead right.

"I'd imagine the ground had a big help to her over Joseph's (O'Brien) horse to be fair, there was a nice ease in it which suited her well. She couldn't have done any better."

Mullins said: "I could not dream of anything like that. I was hoping to win and that the ground might not suit the favourite but suit us.

"That was extraordinary the performance she put in there. I thought Bryan was mad going on before he turned in, you could see him letting her slip into the lead and I thought 'this straight is far too long with hurdles to jump, keep a little bit up your tank', but when he got off her he said he still had plenty left in the tank.

"Who knows where she will go after that, that was only the fourth or fifth run of her life as she never ran on the Flat or anything like that.

"I think she had been placed in France. We thought she was a nice mare that might work into a Triumph Hurdle mare. You are always hoping they might win a Listed or a Graded race, or maybe a Grade One, but that performance brings her into a different league.

"Next year it's a tough year for five-year-olds when they put in performances like that."

Gigginstown's Eddie O'Leary said Apple's Jade would go to Punchestown, should all be well.

Meanwhile, Joseph O'Brien said of Ivanovich Gorbatov: "He ran a good race. Barry (Geraghty) just felt the ground was a bit slow for him.

"He's done well to be second in the end. He ran OK and the winner was very good."

Asked about Punchestown, he added: "We'll see how he comes out of the race and go from there."