Court Maid was kept up to her work by David Mullins to land the Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Mares Auction Maiden Hurdle in Cork.

The five-year-old was a very warm order to oblige as she went off 4/11 favourite.

The daughter of Court Cave moved clear after the third last but got in tight to the penultimate flight.

She asserted again and then wandered before the last. David Mullins sent her home on the run-in to prevail by three lengths, though. Whatucallher came in second at 7/1 with Glebe Girl another four and three quarter lengths back in third at 14/1.

Tom Mullins said: "She showed she was a good mare in Galway; I always thought a lot of her but it just took a while to come. Her form In Killarney then wasn't too bad when the mare who was just in front of her won a black-type race in Gowran. I did put a line through her and Willie's mare (Mullins, Yukon Lil) on the day, whatever happened the two mares they just weren't on the top form.

"He (David Mullins, today) went on turning in because he didn't want any of the handicappers to fly by him; he said she wasn't jumping as well as everyone thought but she will get better and will be grand.

"Hopefully she can keep going in mares' hurdles for the year now and we'll see how high we can get her between now and Christmas.

"These races are a great incentive for new owners in the game with a smaller purse and they are vital for the smaller budget jumps man to stay in the game."

Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes