Awtaad's half-sister Alghabrah stepped up a position on a promising debut second placing at Leopardstown in October to justify odds of 2/7 in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden at Dundalk.

It was a frustrating race for those that took on the 'shorty,' as she touched odds of 40 in running to 4 Euros, and as big as 10/1 to a three figure sum.

That wasn't surprising as the front runner was headed from the two pole, but to her credit the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned and bred and Kevin Prendergast-trained three-year-old battled back to upstage Bucky Larson by half a length.

Bucky Larson is trained by Ger Lyons, and he also supplied the fourth home, another newcomer, Georgie Hyphen

"She didn't do a stroke. It wasn't the way to ride her, as she's a hold-up filly, but he had to make it as there was no pace," said Prendergast on the Chris Hayes-ridden victor.

"She battled on well when they joined her but she'd want to improve a good bit. She raced very green.

"It would be very new to her as she'd never been up here. The last time she was away was Leopardstown.

"She's got the job done and she's broke her maiden. We'll see where we go and play it by ear."

He joked:- "I was often more delighted, but she wants to be held up and nothing was going to go on. Anyway she's got the money and that's the main thing.

"I'll have to talk to the boss now and see what he says."

(GC & EM)