Moody takes Noblesse title 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 is a nice filly, it is great for connections (Mel Sutcliffe) and this is the first horse I’ve had for him. “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 (Keane) 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.” Twomey had a double on the card with Velozee (11-4) winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden. Twomey said: “She is a nice filly who was ready to start today. I think if she won then she is nice and she has done that. I didn’t think about the ground and it is the same for all of them who were having their first runs. “She has won her maiden on debut and the First Flier (Curragh, early May) is an obvious race in a month’s time.” Oh Cecelia made it two wins from three starts for Ken Condon in the Down Syndrome Centre Cork Rated Race. She was returning for her second race in two days after a fifth place finish at the Curragh on Friday and Condon said: “She is going in the right direction and after running yesterday, it was lovely that she pulled out well and did that today. Fortune favours the brave and I told David (Kelly) that she was an inspired purchase by him (for £9,000 in January), so it is all down to him. “She lost her good early pitch yesterday and didn’t get a run when she needed it, and flashed home a bit. She had a walk yesterday at 4pm, ate up overnight and showed her well-being to me so she was good to go.” Cardiff By The Sea broke her maiden with a one-length victory in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, Wild Bessie was a 28-1 winner off the Mallow Garden Festival 22nd, 23rd & 24th May Fillies Maiden and Empty Wallet won the concluding SIS Supporting Irish Racing Handicap.
