Night And Day

Night And Day was a long odds-on shot for the opening mares’ maiden hurdle at the re-scheduled meeting at Clonmel last Tuesday, but she could hardly have been much more impressive than she was in winning. Prominent from early under Paul Townend, she moved to the front at the second flight, and she didn’t see another rival thereafter. She got in tight to one of two of her hurdles early on, but she warmed to her task nicely, her jumping down the back straight was good, and she won by 22 lengths, with bucketloads in hand. And the winning time was good, even allowing for the omission of the second last flight, it was the fastest by far of the four races run over the course and distance on the day, almost six seconds faster than the next fastest.

Trainer Willie Mullins has now won four of the last five renewals of this race, including the 2019 renewal, which he won with subsequent Grade 2 winner French Made, and last year’s renewal, which he won with the talented Dinoblue. Night And Day was allowed take her chance in the Grade 1 mares’ novices’ hurdle at Fairyhouse last April on her first run for Willie Mullins, and this was her first run since. She should progress from it and, a fine strapping mare, her future may lie over fences, but she will be of interest now again over hurdles in the meantime, when she steps up in grade.
Clonmel, 17^th January 2023