Buveur D'Air left with little to face unless Apple's Jade takes Champion test

There were Cheltenham Festival clues aplenty on an afternoon of high-class action at Leopardstown, with the opening day in March dominating thoughts.

The guessing game around which race the brilliant Apple’s Jade might opt for will rage on until festival time. Were she to head for the Champion Hurdle an invaluable sex allowance would make things very interesting, and she was cut into as short as 2-1 second favourite straight after her romp in the Irish equivalent.

However, if she were to bid for a second Mares’ Hurdle later on the same day, for which she was slashed into 1-2 in some lists, Buveur D’Air may have only another mare, Laurina, to really worry about after last year’s runner-up Melon massively disappointed on his second outing since resuming this season.