Scarlet And Dove and Bryan Cooper© Photo Healy Racing
Scarlet And Dove recorded her fourth win at Graded level over fences when putting up an impressive performance to land the Grade 2 John & Chich Fowler Memorial EBF Mares Chase at Fairyhouse this afternoon.
The Gigginstown-owned mare and chief market rival Dolcita were separated by the width of the track approaching the final fence and it was the daughter of Jeremy that touched down in front on the stands’ side.
She soon settled the issue under Bryan Cooper coming home strongly for a four and three-quarter length victory. Ballyshannon Rose set the pace until two out but could find no extra when headed finishing all of 48 lengths back in third.
The well-backed 6/4 favourite rounded off a successful week for trainer Joseph O’Brien with his small but select National Hunt team having also won feature races at Leopardstown and Punchestown with Home By The Lee and San Salvador respectively.
O’Brien said, “She is always a difficult filly to get fit and all her career she has improved from her first run of the year. I felt she had come on.
“I was impressed. They are two good mares and they sprinted up the straight and left behind a good mare.
“She will run somewhere between now and Cheltenham. She ran in the Thyestes last year but we will probably find a mares chase for her somewhere and then on to Cheltenham.
“She ran well there last year and there is no reason why she wouldn’t do it again this year.”
