Lady Mega is ridden out by Robbie Downey close home© Photo Healy Racing
Tim Pitt's decision to send Sir Maximilian over from his Shropshire yard to tackle the Kilfrush Stud Abergwaun Stakes at Tipperary paid off in some style.
Not beaten far in the Stewards' Cup last weekend, the five-year-old was sent off a 2-1 chance for the Listed contest but looked to be struggling for most of the five-furlong trip as he was bustled along to stay in touch.
But Stevie Donohoe got a great tune out of him from the furlong pole and he produced a devastating late charge to collar Abstraction and in the end win a shade cosily by three-quarters of a length.
The other Listed event on the card was the Coolmore Canford Cliffs Stakes and it produced a surprise as 7-2 chance Convergence led all the way to beat Aidan O'Brien's 1-5 favourite East India with some authority.
Colin Keane was in the plate on the Ger Lyons-trained winner, who looked to have the market leader in trouble some way out and ran on resolutely in the straight to score by five lengths.
There was a happier result for the O'Brien team when Bracelet's half-sister Simply A Star (5-4 favourite) took the McGrath Oil Maiden, ending a run of four placed starts. She was always up with the pace before striding three lengths clear under Seamie Heffernan.
Eddie Lynam certainly knows how to turn out sprint winners and he landed another prize when Robbie Downey drove the in-form Lady Mega (15-8 favourite) to the front over a furlong out for a length-and-a-half victory in the Connolly's Red Mills Handicap.
Jim Bolger won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Fillies Maiden with Fields Of May but Kevin Manning had to pull out the stops on the 9-4 shot as newcomer Back On Top flew at the finish to get to within a head.
Philip Donovan kept Tracey Collins' top-weight Captains Dilemma (25-1) going from the front to win the Tipperaryraces.ie Apprentice Handicap, while Sara O'Brien landed the Follow Tipperary Races On Facebook (Ladies) Handicap on Eoin Doyle's Mojito Royale (9-1).
