Nichols & Jade set for Hatton's Grace clash Cheltenham Festival winners Apple's Jade and Nichols Canyon do battle at Fairyhouse on Sunday after both featured among seven declared runners for the Bar One Racing Hatton's Grace Hurdle. Apple's Jade won three Grade One events after leaving Willie Mullins to join Gordon Elliott last season, including a thrilling victory over former stablemate Vroum Vroum Mag in this two-and-a-half-mile contest 12 months ago. The five-year-old went on the win the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Mares Champion Hurdle at Punchestown and following an impressive return in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan, she looks primed to put up a staunch defence of her Fairyhouse crown. Mullins is triple-handed in his bid to win the prize for a fourth time. Paul Townend, who had the pick of the trio with stable jockey Ruby Walsh sidelined by injury, has unsurprisingly sided with last season's Stayers' Hurdle hero Nichols Canyon. The trainer's son Patrick partners Cilaos Emery, and his cousin Danny Mullins partners classy mare Augusta Kate. Elliott's second string Mick Jazz, Jessica Harrington-trained Coral Cup winner Supasundae and Joe Murphy's stable star Swamp Fox complete the line-up.
