Michael Graham
Colgan delivers Moracana to land Listed prize
Moracana, near side, gets up from Irish Lullaby
© Photo Healy Racing
Moracana was another horse to leave punters reeling in Cork as she took the spoils in the Listed Noblesse Stakes at 22/1.
An absolute plethora of horses held claims across the track entering the final quarter of a mile and it was Irish Lullaby who held a slight advantage approaching the final furlong.
Robbie Colgan was getting a tune out of Moracana on the outer, though, and she came with her challenge flashing past the furlong marker.
Irish Lullaby was unable to repel Moracana as she hit the front close home to win by half a length. Runner-up Irish Lullaby went off at 16/1 and she was a length and a quarter in front of Annerville (14/1). Ottilien the even-money favourite on her first start for Joseph O'Brien, raced keenly at the front and was headed three furlongs down. She weakened in the final furlong to come in last of the 11 runners.
Trainer Sheila Lavery said: "She won a big handicap on Champions Weekend in Leopardstown and we thought she wanted soft. We were really looking forward to two late runs in Naas but, how wrong did I get that as she hated the ground.
"Robbie said she was so relaxed and knew, when he pulled her out, knew he would get there, but it was a class ride.
"I had the grandmother, her mother and bred her so and it is great for a filly to get black-type - it is what you want. I sold her to Sue (Chadwick) after her run in Navan.
"She will stick to good ground now and I'll take baby steps. She is so relaxed she could stay further and I'll sit down and have a proper look at her upcoming races now."
Additional reporting by Tom Weekes