Supreme wildcard Bring On The Night makes winning start at Naas
Willie Mullins speaking to the media during the visit to his yard at Closutton, Bagenalstown. Picture date: Wednesday February 23, 2022.
Just when you thought the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle picture couldn’t get more exciting, Willie Mullins appears to have added extra spice as Bring On The Night made a winning start to his jumping career.
The Cheltenham Festival opener is expected to be the race of the week, with the likes of Nicky Henderson's Constitution Hill and Jonbon, plus the Mullins-trained Dysart Dynamo among the horses set to feature.
Having his first run for Mullins having been off for 644 days since winning on the Flat in France, where he was trained by Andre Fabre, the Joe Donnelly-owned son of Gleneagles was a stylish scorer as the 5/6 favourite in division two of the Festival Trials Day Maiden Hurdle, despite not being fluent at the last.
Mullins said: "I've had him a long time, he had a setback last year and we never got him to the track. He is in the Supreme Novices' and could easily go there.
"We said if he was going to make it, he had to go today and be good enough. We think he'll improve a fair bit from that.
"He has to brush up on his jumping a bit, but I think he will as he jumps better at home. He is a 90-plus rated horse on the Flat, but Paul (Townend) said he knew well how to jump - he said he knew his job once he got him down to gallop.
"Marie and Joe (Donnelly) have State Man in the Supreme as well, maybe we'll run the two or find another option for State Man as this horse has no other options.
"We think he is a good sort and will make a great dual-purpose horse. We could appear back on the Flat with him during the summer."
