Three superlative performances -- one a confirmation, one a shock, and one a case of making amends -- got Aintree's Grand National Festival off to an explosive start on Thursday.

Annie Power followed up her Champion Hurdle triumph a fortnight ago with a comprehensive defeat of the horse that ran her closest at Cheltenham in the Aintree Hurdle.

The Willie Mullins-trained 4-9 favourite's 10 length demolition job of My Tent Or Yours made her the first since Dawn Run to add this Grade 1 in the Liverpool suburbs to success in the hurdling crown.

Winning jockey Ruby Walsh described his mount as "dynamite", adding: "She is a wonderful mare, she was fantastic at Cheltenham and she was as good today if not better."

Her owner, retired American banker Rich Ricci, said of his pride and joy: "She was named after an Irish patriot. She was part of the revolution and establishment of the country. It's a nice story."

There was another heartwarming story half an hour later when Cue Card, an unfortunate faller at the third last fence in the Gold Cup, made amends in the Betfred Bowl Chase.

The 6-5 favourite, trained by dairy farmer Colin Tizzard, showed no signs of a repeat mistake as he routed Gold Cup second and third Djakadam and Don Poli.

On the evidence of this display Tizzard must be left wondering if his horse is not a little unfortunate not to have the label 'Gold Cup winner' beside his name.

Jockey Paddy Brennan, who had been distraught at the Cheltenham fall, reported that whilst not fully on song Cue Card still had enough in the tank to prevail.

"He is a horse of a lifetime and is unbelievable. He was not at his best today and he still did that."

"He was awesome, like he has been all season," the winning trainer said.

"The real big one escaped us this year, but that just shows what a horse he is at the moment."

The unexpected and most devastating performance of the afternoon was produced by Annie Power's stablemate Apple's Jade in the novices' hurdle which she won by a country mile - the official distance was a staggering 41 lengths.

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."
Source: AFP