Independent Expert wore down Rose Of Malta close home in the second division of the fillies' maiden in Dundalk.

Rose Of Malta tried hard to see off all comers and kept finding for Shane Foley deep into the final furlong, however, Independent Expert finished with a flourish to get up by half a length under jockey Andrew Slattery.

The winner was very easy to back as she drifted from 15/8 to 7/2. The runner-up went off at 16/1 with Foley 1lb overweight. Havana Pearl was the same distance back in third at 5/1.

Trainer Andrew Slattery snr said:- “I was a bit afraid as it was her third run in six weeks and she's a light filly.

“We said we'd come here tonight as the conditions of the race suited more than the horse running in the race.

“That'll be it for the year, she's a winner at two and Kevin will probably breed off her again and she's won a voucher for him so he can buy another one. It's job done.

“She actually goes on soft ground very well. She'll have a mark now and we'll come back in the spring provided she's not sold in the meantime or something.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson