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Moody and Navassa Island land Listed races at Cork

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Colin Keane employed waiting tactics to take the co-features at Cork

Colin Keane timed his challenge to perfection on Moody to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Noblesse Stakes at Cork.

The Night Of Thunder filly broke her maiden in fair style at Clairefontaine before leaving Andre Fabre's care to join Paddy Twomey.

She made an instant impact as a 6-1 shot, and was held up before Keane asked her for an effort at the three pole when she gradually made headway, hitting the front close home to win by half a length.

Twomey said: "She had two runs in France, looked to have a positive profile and the operation she came from sell them when they are three-year-olds and it has been a lucky source for us.

"Today was the plan and we like these races at Cork, so I’d like to win as many of the Munster Oaks and Give Thanks Stakes as I can."

Keane used similar tactics aboard Navassa Island to come home a comfortable three and a quarter lengths clear in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Cork Stakes.

Keane held up the 10-1 shot at the back of the field and sent the Michael O’Callaghan-trained five-year-old clear a furlong out and he kept on well to win.

O’Callaghan said: "She really deserved to win a stakes race and had finished second in a Group Three on her first ever run as a two-year-old. She went to Ascot then and got jarred up and since then, has been placed six times in stakes company.

"It is great for her owners who have persevered and given us another go again this year and we had her ready today, knowing she would have her ideal conditions. Colin said we can go anywhere with her on heavy ground.

"She will have a spring and autumn campaign and will get a break when the ground starts to tighten up, so we’ll target some nice races."

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