"There's a good story to this fellow as his mother bit his ear off as a foal. He's always been a bit cheeky.

"We like him and he is open to a lot of improvement.

"There were a few fancied ones and it was a decent maiden for here.

"I'm delighted to be racing here and it's great that David's horses are firing now."

So went Fergal Lynch's debrief to the press at Dundalk after his mount, Zalty caused a 25/1 surprise (39/1 on the Tote) in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden.

David Marnane 's first-timer, a French-bred son of Elusive City, came from off the pace, getting up close home to short-head In Salutem

Some of the fancied ones Lynch referred to were the runner-up (4s into 100/30 and bigger this morning) and Rapid Approach the eventual fourth (11/2 into 7/2).

Paul Deegan 's English Deer was lively this morning before proving pretty friendless in the ring at the track (drifted from 5/2 out to 7/2). Sylvan Mist was backed from 10/1 into 7/1 but he had to make do with tenth place.

For victorious owner, Saeed Al-Tayer, it was a first winner from his first runner in Ireland. (MG & EM)