Frankel-sired and 37-rated Maestro Stick belied his 66/1 starting price to win Dundalk's opening irishinjuredjockeys.com Claiming Race today, for trainer Keith Clarke and owners Phoenix Bloodstock Syndicate.

Ridden by Robert Whearty, the seven-year-old raced in rear, made headway in the home straight and finished well to score by a nose from Hezahunk

Maestro Stick, whose champion sire Frankel's 2024 fee at Banstead Manor Stud is £350,000, later went unclaimed for €4,000, with third-placed Tai Sing Yeh being the subsequent of a friendly claim by his owner James McAuley.

Trainer Clarke was leading up the winner and had said "the owners (Phoenix Bloodstock Syndicate) are on the plane to Lanzarote and said if he came first, to claim him back.

"I was only running him to get him up a few pound to get him into races because it is so hard to get in. I've spent the last two months trying to get him in.

"He ran well over 1m2f and he stays but we said we would try him over six as he has loads of speed. They went hard and we took our time.”

Quotes from Michael Graham