Sapphire Lady returns in good form

Sapphire Lady made every yard to win the opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Chase in Punchestown.

Willie Mullins' nine-year-old put in a good display of jumping to reward favourite backers at 6/5.

It was Make My Heart Fly who looked the danger turning for home in this two and a half mile contest as she improved into second place.

Danny Mullins got after Sapphire Lady upon jumping two out, though, and she soon had Make My Heart Fly under the pump.

The leader asserted before the last and jumped it safely to come home by six lengths from the 8/1 runner-up.

This race was reduced to five runners as Felicidad and Abbey Magic were both ruled out.

Jockey Mullins said: “That was a nice performance off a lay-off on that slow ground. She jumps well and hopefully she can build more on that.

“She’d have no problem going into handicaps the way she jumped there.

“The ground is a bit dead because it’s drying but I don’t think it’s as deep as we were expecting it to be. It’s lovely jumping ground — you’d run a winter horse on it.”

Sapphire Lady was last seen finishing unplaced in a Grade 3 mares' novices' chase at Cork in December.

Additional reporting by Alan Magee