07 January 2024

Night And Day foils stablemate Brandy Love in Naas gloom

07 January 2024

Night And Day beat odds-on stablemate Brandy Love in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Beginners Chase – the only race to take place at Naas on Sunday.

The pair, who are both trained by Willie Mullins, were sent off at odds of 9-1 and 1-4 respectively, with Grade One-winning hurdler Brandy Love the heavy favourite after finishing second on her first spin over fences.

It was an unsatisfactory spectacle, with the start of the race delayed due to heavy fog at the track and extremely limited viewing on offer to spectators both on course and at home once the contest did get under way.

When they emerged from the gloom at the top of the straight Brandy Love was in front, but by the time they came into view again after the last, the Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Night And Day had a healthy advantage in the hands of Daryl Jacob.

She had been well beaten in fifth on her chasing bow, but took a leap forward with a 10-length victory.

The fixture was subsequently called off due to the fog and Jacob admitted the four-runner race had proved a stern task in the circumstances.

He said: “I had Paul (Townend on Brandy Love) and J J (Slevin on Tophill Low) in front of me and I was speaking to Jack (Kennedy on Jumping Jet) as we were going around but it’s very difficult, I’m not going to lie.

“The fog is thicker down the back straight where we started off. We can see in time for the fences about 100 yards before.

“She settled and jumped well and got into the race nicely. I just got her to relax and breathe properly before getting her into the race.

“Brandy Love was in front and I took it up from the second-last going to the last. She galloped right through the line.”

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