Cotte survives early scare to double up for Mullins & Townend Camelia De Cotte survived an early blunder to give Willie Mullins and Paul Townend a quick double on the card at Clonmel this afternoon. The French-bred mare went to post the 7/4 favourite for the Listed TA Morris Memorial Irish EBF Mares Chase after the withdrawal of Shattered Love. Townend had to sit tight at the second however as she blundered. The six-year-old jumped into the lead at the same fence (five out) on the next circuit. She was pressed by Timeforwest after making a slight mistake at the last but found plenty on the run-in to record a half length victory. Camelia De Cotte was returning to mares company having finished fourth behind Le Richebourg in a Grade 3 contest at Tipperary last month. Mullins was full of praise for his jockey afterwards:- "That was good performance from Paul; the ground is very slippy and she slipped right into the second fence. “She seemed to be fine for it but kept going and slipped into it and then Paul was happy to let her on the second time up the back straight and he said she was a lot happier when she was let gallop in front. "She had enough in reserve to hold on from what looked a very threatening Timeforwest - I thought she was coming to beat us so it was good she pulled out more to win. "We'll keep her to mares' chases and I think she can go out in trip as well." Gordon Elliott was fined €200 for the late withdrawal of Shattered Love. (Quotes by Thomas Weekes)
