So Suave improved one placing on last month's debut runner-up effort at Navan when winning on his second attempt at Dundalk today, landing the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden for trainer Johnny Murtagh, owners Ballylinch Stud and jockey Niall McCullagh.

The son of Make Believe today justified solid 10/11 favouritism when beating Algeria by a length and a half and afterwards jockey McCullagh said “he’d a cracking run the first day. I actually rode the other one (ninth placed stablemate Distant Vista), he surprised us a little bit and Shane Kelly gave him a lovely educational ride. He stepped forward at home so we were expecting him to run well today.

“I just wanted to make sure that I settled him and when I did and got a good pitch it was easy going from there. He picked up nicely and stayed on well from there.

“He enjoys the track so he has options and another furlong won’t be a problem. He’s a nice fun horse going forward.”

Quotes from Alan Magee