Nightime
SireGalileo
GrandsireSadler's Wells
DamCaumshinaun
DamsireIndian Ridge
SexMare
Foaled5 April 2003[1]
CountryIreland
ColourChestnut
BreederMarguerite Weld
OwnerMarguerite Weld
TrainerDermot Weld
Record5: 2-0-0
Earnings£162,691[2]
Major wins
Irish 1,000 Guineas (2006)

Nightime (foaled 5 April 2003) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the Irish 1,000 Guineas in 2006. After finishing unplaced in her only race as a juvenile she won a maiden race on her debut as a three-year-old and then recorded an emphatic six-length victory in the Irish 1000 Guineas. She failed to reproduce her form in two subsequent races and was retired in 2007. Since her retirement from racing she has had some success as a broodmare.

Background

Nightime is a chestnut mare with a broad white blaze and a long white sock on her left hind leg[3] bred in Ireland by her owner Marguerite Weld. She was trained throughout her racing career by Weld's son Dermot at the Curragh in County Kildare.

She was from the first crop of foals sired by Galileo, who won the Derby, Irish Derby and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2001. Galileo became a very successful breeding stallion and has been champion sire of Great Britain and Ireland five times. His other progeny included Cape Blanco, Frankel, Golden Lilac, Nathaniel, New Approach, Rip Van Winkle, Found, Minding and Ruler of the World.[4]

Nightime's dam Caumshinaun, who produced seven other winners, was a successful racemare who won five races including the Listed Platinum Stakes in 2001.[5] She was a distant descendant of the British broodmare Springtime (foaled 1932), the ancestor of numerous major winners including Blakeney, Morston and Classic Cliche.[6]

Racing career

2005: two-year-old season

Rather than beginning her career in a maiden race, Nightime made her debut in the Group Three C L Weld Park Stakes, a race named in honour of Dermot Weld's father (and Marguerite's husband), over seven furlongs at the Curragh on 1 October. Ridden by Pat Shanahan she started at odds on 12/1 and finished seventh of the eight runners, three and a half lengths behind the winner Ugo Fire.[7]

2006: three-year-old season

On her first run as a three-year-old Nightime started the 9/10 favourite in a ten-runner maiden over eight and a half furlongs at Cork Racecourse on 16 April. Ridden by Pat Smullen, who partnered her in all her subsequent races she disputed the lead for most of the way before pulling ahead in the final furlong and winning by two lengths from Miss Dela.[8]

On 28 May Nightime was stepped up to Group One class and started at odds of 12/1 in a fifteen-runner field for the Irish 1000 Guineas over one mile on heavy ground at the Curragh. The betting was dominated by three British challengers with Confidential Lady (winner of the Prix du Calvados and runner-up in the 1000 Guineas) heading the market from Short Dance (Radley Stakes, Michael Seely Memorial Stakes) and Nasheej (Sweet Solera Stakes, May Hill Stakes, Fred Darling Stakes). The other Irish runners included Race For The Stars (Oh So Sharp Stakes), Ugo Fire, Queen Cleopatra (Derrinstown Stud 1,000 Guineas Trial), Abigail Pett (Silver Flash Stakes, Round Tower Stakes) and Kamarinskaya (Leopardstown 1,000 Guineas Trial). Confidential Lady set the pace with Smullen settling Nightime behind the leaders before making steady progress in the straight. Nightime overtook the favourite a furlong and a half from the finish and drew clear of her opponents to win by six lengths from the 50/1 outsider Ardbrae Lady.[9] After the race Dermot Weld said "It is a very special day for me... My mother has always believed in the filly. I wanted to sell her as a yearling but she wouldn't let me, as she thought she was special, and she has been proven right. She is in her 90th year this year and this is lovely for her."[10] Describing his winning ride, Pat Smullen commented "Confidential Lady going off in front was great because she brought me there perfectly. I knew she would stay a mile and a quarter, so I kicked on. If anything, I'm disappointed I won so far. But you can't afford to mess around with losing momentum in that ground".[11]

The ground was much firmer when Nightime was sent to England to contest the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot on 23 June. After turning into the straight in third place she faded quickly and was eased down by Smullen in the closing stages to finish last of the fifteen runners behind Nannina.

2007: four-year-old season

After an absence of more than eleven months Nightime returned to the track and was matched against male opposition in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on 27 May. She started a 25/1 outsider and made little impact as she finished eighth of the nine runners behind Notnowcato.[12]

Breeding record

Nightime was retired from racing to become a broodmare for the Weld family. She has produced at least five winners including the multiple stakes winners Zhukova and Ghaiyyath:

Pedigree

Pedigree of Nightime (IRE), chestnut filly, 2003[1]
Sire
Galileo (IRE)
1998		 Sadler's Wells (USA)
1981		 Northern Dancer Nearctic
Natalma
Fairy Bridge Bold Reason
Special
Urban Sea (USA)
ch. 1989		 Miswaki Mr. Prospector
Hopespringseternal
Allegretta Lombard
Anatevka
Dam
Caumshinaun (IRE)
1997		 Indian Ridge (IRE)
1985		 Ahonoora Lorenzaccio
Helen Nichols
Hillbrow Swing Easy
Golden City
Ridge Pool (IRE)
1991		 Bluebird Storm Bird
Ivory Dawn
Casting Couch Thatching
Drama (Family 20-c)[6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Nightime pedigree". Equineline.
  2. ↑ "Nightime – Record By Race Type". Racing Post.
  3. ↑ "Nightime wins the Irish 1000 Guineas". Getty Images.
  4. ↑ "Galileo stud record". Racing Post. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "Caumshinaun – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  6. 1 2 "Palmflower – Family 20-c". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  7. ↑ "C L Weld Park Stakes result". Racing Post. 1 October 2005.
  8. ↑ "Coolmore Spartacus Maiden result". Racing Post. 16 April 2006.
  9. ↑ "Irish 1000 Guineas result". Racing Post. 28 May 2006.
  10. ↑ Mary Schweitzer (28 May 2006). "Nightime Puts Guineas Rivals to Sleep". The Blood-Horse.
  11. ↑ Brian O'Connor (29 May 2006). "Nightime is the right time for the Welds". Irish Times.
  12. ↑ "Tattersalls Gold Cup result". Racing Post. 27 May 2007.
  13. ↑ "Sleeping Beauty – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  14. ↑ "New Year's Night – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  15. ↑ "Zhukova – Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
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