TRUE COULEURS

Joy for local trainer Curtis as she bags Welsh National

- DAVID YATES.

HAITI COULEURS roared back from his Betfair Chase no-show to land the Coral Welsh National for local heroes Sean Bowen and Rebecca Curtis.

Dreams that the eight-year-old, a Cheltenham Festival winner as a novice last season, could reach the top over fences seemed dashed when he was pulled up behind Grey Dawning when at Grade 1 level for the first time at Haydock Park last month.

But Curtis’ belief in her stable star never wavered and those who kept the faith were rewarded with a 5/1 winner at Chepstow.

Carrying lst 13Ib, a record for modern times, Haiti Couleurs and champion jockey Bowen took up the running after the seventh of the 23 fences.