Night And Day clears the last under Paul Townend© Photo Healy Racing
Night And Day who is a half-sister to three time Grade 1 winner Supasundae, ran out an easy winner of the opener at Clonmel, the Kilsheelan Mares Maiden Hurdle.
Placed three times from four starts on the level in France and subsequently purchased for E90,000, she finished a well-beaten ninth on her debut for Willie Mullins when pitched in at the highest level at Fairyhouse in April.
Taking a significant drop in class this afternoon, the Sea The Moon bay came in for plenty of market support.
Briefly available at 2/1 with Paddy Power in early shows, she eventually went off the clear market leader at 2/5.
In front from the second under Paul Townend, she eased clear as they bypassed two out, going on to record a bloodless 22 length success.
The Liam Casey trained Apples In Winter (40/1) was best of the rest under Niall Prendergast, while the easy-to-back Circus Act (11/4 early, returned 11/1) was a further length back in third.
"She was doing nice work last year and was thrown in very deep (in a Fairyhouse Grade 1) and she has a future, that's for sure," Townend said of the Simon Munir & Isaac Souede owned victor.
"The hurdles are nearly too small for her, with the size of her and she will even improve for a fence but has a future over hurdles first."
STEWARDS REPORTS
At the request of the Raceday Stewards, M.J.M O'Sullivan, rider of Ballinclay Court trained by N Dooly, reported to the Stewards' Secretaries that his mount never travelled in the early part of this race but plugged away to the finish. He felt that the mare may not have handled the ground and needs to race over a longer distance.
P.T. Enright, rider of Nytol trained by S. Curling, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that his mount never travelled during this race and was pulled up.
Sarah Kavanagh, rider of Gabbys Girl trained by Thomas Mullins, reported to the Clerk of the Scales that she pulled up her mount after her saddle slipped at an early stage of this race.
Additional reporting by Thomas Weekes
