Midnight It Is

Midnight It Is put up a nice performance in winning the opening two-mile-one-and-a-half-furlong handicap chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday. Prominent from early, he moved into the lead as they turned down the back straight, and he wasn't headed. His jumping was good, and he picked up well from the second last fence when he was challenged by the favourite Battle Of Ridgeway, going away again on the run-in.

This was probably the best performance that Gavin Cromwell's horse has put up over fences to date, although you could have marked him up on the bare form of his previous run at Naas. He raced towards the inside for much of the way that day, he made a mistake at the fifth last fence, and he made a fairly significant mistake at the second last, and he got in tight to the last and landed a little awkwardly. He raced on the far side too up the home straight, furthest from the favoured stands rail, probably on the worst of the ground, but he still kept on admirably up the run-in to finish a close-up fifth behind Pat's Choice. This was a nice step forward from that. The handicapper has raised him by 8lb to a mark of 120, but he was rated 121 at his peak over hurdles, and he is only just getting going over fences now. A good test at two miles suits him well, but he does stay two and a half, and he goes particularly well at Fairyhouse, where his record now reads 31. He will be of particular interest when he goes back there.

Fairyhouse, 27^th January 2024