Kirk's Dancer belied a market drift when winning the Christmas Party Nights At Dundalk Maiden at Dundalk today, scoring for trainer Michael Halford and jockey Pat Smullen.

The daughter of Dunkirk was the 7/4 market leader this morning and while he maintained that favourite's tag to the off, was returned a 3/1 chance, before eventually scoring well under Smullen by two and a quarter lengths from Zaofu

Halford later revealed “she had a very promising first run here behind Winter and then met with a serious accident at home that knocked the stuffing out of her and it took us a long time to get her back.

“She loves that surface and has got stronger in herself lately. She got the trip well and was always capable of doing something like that. Pat liked her and said she put it to bed easy. We’ll keep going with her.

“Eric Koh is Singapore based and I’d like to thank him for his patience with her. Hopefully she will pay the rewards now.”

Quotes from Alan Magee