LAST Monday’s Cork winner Athas An Bhean is a great advertisement for racehorse ownership.

Bought for just 1,500gns at Tattersalls last December, the Royal Applause filly became the first Irish winner of a Plus 10 bonus race when making a winning debut last weekend and earned a total of €23,000 for connections.

Kildare trainer Adrian Keatley reported: “The prize money was over €10,000 and the £10,000 bonus works out at around €12,500. I think she can definitely earn blacktype and hopefully she will stay in my yard. The lads who own her are prepared to sell and re-invest.”

Athas An Bhean was won one of six yearlings Keatley bought last year for a total spend of less than €40,000. “I only got my licence in May of last year and I have 15 horses, mainly for the flat. I worked for Chris Waller in Sydney for 18 months, I also worked with John O’Shea in Australia, and before that I was assistant to Oliver McKiernan for six years.”

The Plus 10 bonus won by Athas An Bhean will be shared between the owners (the Lotts Syndicate), breeder Sarah McNicholas, the trainer, jockey Fran Berry and stable staff.

Horse Racing Ireland’s Jason Morris, said: “Plenty more opportunities exist for Plus 10 registered horses to claim a bonus prize in 2015, with a further 99 bonuses available on all two-year-old non-blacktype races across the flat season.

“Registered horses can win an unlimited number of Plus 10 bonuses and Athas An Bhean could go on to pick up further bonus prizes this year.”

Full details of the scheme are on the plus10bonus.com website.