Cliara gave jockey Jamie Powell his second victory when staying on best in the apprentice handicap at Naas.

Powell switched him out from third on the rail and rode him to go after Sanosuke and Snowy Owl over a furlong out.

His mount kept on stoutly to wear the duelling front pair down. She passed them with 50 yards to go and won going away by a length and three parts at 16/1.

Sanosuke had to settle for second at 4/1 and was half a length up on Snowy Owl (10/1).

Trainer Anthony McCann said: “I was very happy with her. I was actually cursing him because he got blocked in, the plan was to go on. As he said it was Plan B, what do trainers know!

“He gave her a super ride, he waited patiently as I thought he was going to get blocked in altogether. He came at the right time and she stayed on, she's gutsy.

“She ran a good race last week in Gowran and we just kept her ticking over.

“She entered later in the week at Tipperary but I don't know if she'll go now or not. I'll probably have to keep young Jamie on her, and she's in a ladies race.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson