Camelia De Cotte blooms in Grade Three heat at Fairyhouse

Watch the closing stages of the BoyleSports Grand National Festival John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase at Fairyhouse.

Camelia De Cotte got back on the winning trail with a fine front-running display in the BoyleSports Grand National Festival John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase at Fairyhouse.

The Willie Mullins-trained seven-year-old was successful on five of her first six starts over fences including victories at Listed, Grade Three and Grade Two level.

She found the promising Kaiser Black too strong on her latest outing at Naas last month, but back against her own sex in this Grade Three contest, she was the marginal favourite at 13-8 in the hands of Paul Townend.

Camelia De Cotte was soon bowling along at the head of affairs, with her stablemate and market rival Pravalaguna (2-1) always her closest pursuer under Ruby Walsh.

Pravalaguna closed the gap before the home turn, but Townend cut a confident figure in the saddle aboard Camelia De Cotte and she was ultimately good value for the winning margin of five and a half lengths.

Barra shaped with credit in third on what was her first appearance since winning on her chasing debut at Kilbeggan last July.

Mullins said: “She’s very sharp. You saw more than I did as I just arrived here when they were pulling up.

“Paul thought she was going a little right today, I don’t know why. He said the ground was well watered and it’s a credit to Fairyhouse to produce ground in weather like this.”