Ningxai justified favouritism under a confident Colin Keane in the Follow Us On Facebook Maiden at Cork.

Ger Lyons' runner, assumed the mantle of market-leader, with the defection of Jacobean (temperature).

Keane switched out the twice previously tried Dundalk performer, to challenge from over a furlong out, and he led a hundred yards out, pushed out to defeat Laffina by half a length.

"I'm thrilled for David Spratt (winning owner) as he normally has to travel to see his horses run but lives just 20 minutes away from here, in Whitechurch," explained Lyons' brother Shane.

"Colin (Keane) is riding with great confidence - at one stage he had nowhere to go today but the run will have given him (Ningxai) loads of confidence. No pressure is put on our jockeys and they are never tied down to orders and allowed to go to Plan B.

"We're always happy to get a maiden win and we'll see what handicap mark he gets now."

G.F. Carroll, rider of Docali trained by G.M.Lyons, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount ran green early on, was off the bridle before the turn into the straight but stayed on in the closing stages.

(TW & EM)