FRANCE’s top jumping star De Bon Coeur made her reappearance at Auteuil in Grade 3 Prix Hypothese (Hurdle) on Sunday and had little trouble in winning by over two lengths from Galop Marin in the hands of Kevin Nabet.

She had been absent through injury for 308 days since winning the Grade 1 Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil (Hurdle) at the end of May last year where she beat Bapuame by 16 lengths.

The six-year-old mare, racing in the colours carried by her sire Vision D’Etat, followed the front-running Galop Marin in the two-mile, three-and-a-half-furlong contest. He could not accelerate going out of the final bend over a trip probably a bit shorter than ideal.

De Bon Coeur was taken wide on the outer rail up the straight and she sprinted away, with the returning Crystal Beach finished well in second, beating Galop Marin by two and a half lengths while Alex de Larredya, also proved unable to find any extra on his return, finished fourth.

De Bon Coeur is on course to retain her crown in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil, with her trainer François Nicolle encouraging overseas raiders to come and take her on.

Winner of the Prix Agitato Chase last time out, the four-year-old Kapdam beat Thrilling in the Prix le Touquet Chase, winning by a neck on her rival after a good battle.