in rear, never a factor, pushed along after 6th, ridden and no impression before 2 out, no extra
tracked leaders on outer, 4th halfway, mistake 2 out, ridden and no extra in 5th before last where mistake, weakened
tracked leaders, 3rd halfway, short of room approaching 2 out, ridden in 3rd and bad mistake last, no impression and kept on one pace
ran 6th, progress after 3 out and went 2nd next, ridden and no impression in 4th before last, no extra
held up on inner, 5th halfway, progress after 2 out and challenged last, ridden and every chance run-in, just failed
led, slight mistake 5th, pushed along and headed entering straight, soon no extra, weakened
tracked leader, 2nd halfway, progress to lead entering straight, strongly pressed and joined last, kept on well under pressure run-in, led close home
Ruby Walsh has chosen VROUM VROUM MAG over stable companions Shaneshill and Whiteout. His mount, unbeaten in nine starts since joining Willie Mullins from France, ended the last campaign with victories in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham then beating a top-class field in the Punchestown Champion Hurdle. Apple's Jade is a worthy opponent and this sort of trip should bring out the best in her. The brilliant winner of Grade 1's at Aintree and Punchestown in the spring, she was outpaced over the minimum on her reappearance but stayed on strongly when just failing to overhaul Irvine in last week's Fighting Fifth. The other four-year-old in the line-up, Ivanovich Gorbatov, beat her in the Triumph Hurdle but couldn't get near her in the two championship events subsequently and hasn't made the expected progress. Shaneshill, last season's RSA Chase runner-up, was only just touched off in a Grade 1 in the USA over three miles and that appears his best trip.
Dedigout (IRE) 10-1 (11-5) Tracked leader, 2nd halfway, pushed along approaching 3 out, 3rd and slight mistake 2 out, no extra before last, 4th of 7, 11l behind Snow Falcon (11-10) at Navan 2m 4f (1) Yielding - Soft in Nov.
Monksland (IRE) 5-2 (11-1) Held up towards rear, bad mistake 4th and slight mistake 5th, ridden in 6th and no impression entering straight, left 5th last, kept on run-in into 3rd close home, 3rd of 7, 10l behind Alelchi Inois (11-5) at Clonmel 2m 4f (1) Yielding in Nov.
Shaneshill (IRE) 11-10fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, 4th halfway, pushed along and no impression 2 out, went moderate 3rd last, ridden and kept on run-in, 3rd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Snow Falcon (11-10) at Navan 2m 4f (1) Yielding - Soft in Nov.
Ivanovich Gorbatov (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Raced in rear, no impression from 2 out, kept on into 3rd run-in, 3rd of 5, 17l behind Nichols Canyon (11-10) at Punchestown 2m (1) sft in Nov.
Vroum Vroum Mag (FR) 4-6fav (11-5) Tracked leader, progress to lead 3rd, pushed along and 2 lengths clear last, under pressure and kept on well run-in, won at Punchestown 2m (1) Yielding in Apr beating Identity Thief (11-12) by 1 1/4l, 6 ran.
Whiteout (GER) (10-1) at Auteuil 3m 1f sft in Jun.
Apple's Jade (FR) 15-8fav (11-0) Chased leaders, hampered 3 out, ridden before last, kept on and just held post, 2nd of 6, shd behind Irving (11-7) at Newcastle 2m (1) sft in Nov.
