Noivado and Colin Keane© Photo Healy Racing
After the success of a rank outsider in the first, there was a more predictable outcome to race two at Naas, the Irish Stallion Farms E.B.F. Auction Race going in convincing fashion to 11/8 favourite Noivado
Backed in from 13/8, Noivado was expected to be given most to do by 5/2 chance, Elusive Beauty but the successful Casamento colt asserted in the final furlong after making all.
It was left to the Jessica Harrington-trained newcomer Cloistered to come through and chase the Ger Lyons-trained and Colin Keane-ridden Noivado home, but it was at a distance of three and three parts of a length.
The aforementioned Elusive Beauty dropped to third close home, half a length back.
"It's a great pick me up for Sean (Jones, owner) after the big horse (Psychedelic Funk) getting hurt this morning," said Lyons.
"We ran here as it qualifies him for the €100,000 auction final. That's not to be sniffed at and he's after getting another €10,000 bonus there.
"I can't wait to step him up to seven but he's just not there yet. When I did step him up to seven you could see he wasn't mature enough for it but he came back and won over six.
"He wasn't fast enough for the real six horses the last day. He bumped into one and just ran out of green grass.
"We'll train him now, stick to the plan and he'll take his chance back here in the auction final. It's nice to have a horse of that calibre in it.
"He''s a nice horse and it was a good honest performance."
(GC & EM)
