Layfayette another for Meade/Keane alliance

The market spoke favourably about Layfayette in the opening auction maiden at Navan and the support proved inspired as he finished strongly to score for Noel Meade.

From as big as 7/1 in the morning, Colin Keane's mount halved in price to 7/2 on the off for this extended five furlong contest.

He raced on the outside of the 18 runners and began to make headway in the final quarter of a mile.

He responded well to Keane's urgings to pick off Believe In Beauty inside the final furlong and kept on well to win by half a length at 7/2. Mutiny took second at 4/1, a head in front of Moonhall Milly who came home well for third at 50/1 from 80/1.

Noel Meade said: “That's great. He got into a lot of trouble the last day at the Curragh and we fancied him today.

“He jumped very quick at the Curragh and Colin made a decision to take him back, but when he took him back he could never get out after that. He did come home really well.

“I bought him at the breeze-up sales. I'm delighted for the owner because it's his first venture on the Flat.

“Colin said the saddle went back and he plunged for the first furlong today, he was thinking 'what's going to happen now'.

“It's great to have Colin on your side, he's a lovely fella along with everything else and we get on very well.

“He's dead straight to deal with and doesn't pull any punches. I leave it up to him and told him to ride him whatever way he wanted. He knows more about riding than I do.

“I suppose you'd have to look at the final now. The other fella (Helvic Dream) is there as well. This lad mightn't handle real soft ground whereas the other horse would handle all sorts of ground.”

This was Lafayette's second start having finished a never nearer 11th of 18 at the Curragh last month.

Additional reporting by Gary Carson