Agartha springs 50/1 shock for Finegan

The Hugh Finegan-trained Ms Agartha Yeats sprang a 50/1 shock on her debut when just prevailing in a cracking finish to the two-and-a-half mile maiden hurdle at Wexford.

The eventual winner and Abbeydale both came to dispute at the second last and there was nothing between the pair in the closing stages.

Ms Agartha Yeats just had the advantage at the line to secure a neck success, under Sean O'Keeffe, over her 20/1 rival as the front two pulled 14 lengths clear.

The winner is a daughter of Benny's Fagartha who was runner-up in Grade 3 company over timber and was also placed in a listed bumper.

Finegan said:- "It wasn't unexpected. She is a hardy little mare and has done everything we have asked of her at home.

“Anything she does, she does it easy. We are a small little team and couldn't be overly confident. I thought greenness would beat her. She wouldn't have been around too many horses before because we wouldn't have that many.

"She is just tough and is from a good family. The dam was a very good mare. I'm delighted to get a winner for the syndicate because they have been very good to me, even when I was only breaking horses.

“Phelim and Mary (Sheridan) are involved in the syndicate and Mary is a first cousin of mine. They have the dam and she is back in foal again.

"I was going to go back for a bumper with her after today but that day is gone now!

"We have 10 in at the moment and most of them are point-to-pointers. We had a winner at Moira a few weeks ago so the horses are running well."

(Quotes by Donal Murphy)