Only By Night, near side, in cruise control© Photo Healy Racing
Only By Night was all the rage for the mares' maiden hurdle and the money was well founded as she put in a lovely debut effort over flights.
This former point-to-point winner won a Listed mares' bumper at Navan last month which saw her backed from 6/5 in the morning down to 2/5f on the off.
She travelled notably well for Keith Donoghue over the minimum trip and came through on the bridle to pick up the lead before the penultimate flight.
She was clear of Magic Dawn Dawn at the last and a lovely jump there sealed the deal as the runner-up unseated Jack Kennedy.
Only By Night wasn't troubled in scoring by an emphatic 10 lengths from Mi Lucky Cailin (40/1). Crack The Sky (11/2) was two and a-quarter lengths further back in third.
She gave Gavin Cromwell and Keith Donoghue a brace on the card after Money Heist s victory in race two.
Cromwell said: “She’s a nice mare and when she won a Listed bumper you would hope she could come on and do that.
“She jumped well and was very straightforward.
“The first day (in Limerick) she was a little bit keen with Derek (O’Connor) and the last day in Navan she improved from that. You can even see it in her work at home she used to be a bit keen, but she’s grown up now and is very straightforward.
“Hopefully she could be good enough to aim at the mares' novices' hurdle at Cheltenham. We might as well dream here as in bed!"
Paddy Power trimmed Only By Night from 20/1 to 14/1 for the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
