Mandarin Monarch cut down the favourite Jan Maat in the final strides to take the rated novice hurdle in Wexford for Andrew McNamara.

Dillon Maxwell 's mount chased Jan Maat over the second-last but looked to have spoiled his chance with a less than fluent jump.

He soon knuckled down to his task, though, and stayed on well for pressure on the run-in to get up under the 7lb claimer by a neck at 7/1.

Runner-up Jan Maat was a solid 15/8 favourite in the market.

Andrew McNamara said: "He has been a great horse for the lads, that's the fourth race he is after winning. He won two at Dundalk and he is after winning two over hurdles now.

"We will see if the ground stays okay we might continue over hurdles and if not he will probably appear at Dundalk at some stage over the winter.

"He could go for something like this again or else we could try him off a low weight in a more valuable handicap.

"He should stay further. He got a mile and a half well on the Flat and all he does is battle. He is not the most impressive at home but the last two days he easily could have come out the wrong side of it but he stuck the head down well both times.

"Hopefully there will be a bit more fun to be had with him."

Additional reporting by Donal Murphy