Mona Brown holds off La Belle Maison © Photo Healy Racing
Mona Brown gained an overdue win when claiming the second division of the mile maiden at Dundalk.
Kevin Manning tracked front-runner Rock Magic throughout before hitting the lead with under two furlongs to run.
The Jim Bolger-trained filly got a strong drive as she stuck on well to repel the final furlong challenge of La Belle Maison by half a length.
The winner was sent off 3/1 favourite in an open looking contest having opened up 5/2.
It was a deserved victory for the Dylan Thomas filly, who had been placed in four of her six previous outings.
"She stuck at it well. She'e been running in good races and has been knocking on the door," said Manning.
The winner was wearing a hood and tongue-tie for the first time and travelling head lad Ger Flynn added:- "She works well at home in the hood."
The gamble of the race was Hanamizuki who had been 14/1 this morning and was punted from 10/1 into 5/1 on course. The Takashi Kodama-trained debutante finished fourth.
(Additional reporting by Michael Graham)
