Race two at Ballinrobe and another odds-on beaten favourite as 10/11 chance Aared went down by a neck to Swordfight in the Bet Online At Thetote.com Maiden.

Swordfight's sire, Mastercraftsman, was more than able to give of his best on a testing surface, and on one of his initial encounters with going like this (described as heavy) the successful three-year-old toughed it out well.

Aared threatened to shake off Swordfight from the front, but Wayne Lordan's mount hung in there and on outing number ten he got there inside the last to prevail by a neck. The big two left Miss Natalma twenty four lengths back in third.

"He had to battle hard. The ground is pretty deep and probably a bit better ground might suit him - it would just make life a bit easier for him," said Lordan on the David Wachman-trained chestnut.

"I'd suppose he had the form to run well and he did."

(DM & EM)