Mint Chai came back fresh and well following a break, in which time he was gelded, to shed his maiden tag on start number five in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden at Bellewstown.

Without the blinkers he'd worn at Leopardstown last time, Colin Keane's mount got the better of the heavily backed favourite, Ample Sufficiency by half a length.

Shane Lyons, representing his brother, winning trainer, Ger, said: "He was very good and so was Colin.

"He wore blinkers the last day and just ran too free with them, so we gave him a break and we also gelded him. He was very professional there, and you would like to think an 83 rated horse would win a maiden."

(AM & EM)