Only By Night has got Gavin Cromwell dreaming of March having watched her cruise to victory in the Care At Home Services Mares Maiden Hurdle at Naas.
A Listed bumper winner, she was entitled to score on her hurdling debut and was sent off the 2-5 favourite in a field of 17.
Ridden confidently by Keith Donoghue, her sole rival remaining, Gordon Elliott’s Magic Dawn, was just beginning to feel the heat when she unseated Jack Kennedy at the final flight, allowing Only By Night to coast home by 10 lengths.
Betfair cut her to 14-1 from 20s for the mares’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham.
“She’s a nice mare and when she won a Listed bumper you would hope she could come on and do that,” said Cromwell.
“She jumped well and was very straightforward.
“The first day 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’ novice hurdle at Cheltenham. We might as well dream here as in bed!”
She was completing a double on the day for Cromwell and Donoghue following the earlier success of 7-4 favourite Money Heist in the Sign Up To GavinLynchRacing.com Handicap Chase.