SMART Stinger opened her account in good style when taking first prize in the Happy Christmas From All At Dundalk Stadium Maiden at Dundalk.

Things looked to be going to plan for market leader Gougane Barra when he breezed into the lead with a couple of furlongs to run but he was quickly tackled by Smart Stinger who picked up really well for exciting young rider Ben Coen.

Andrew Stattery's 5/1 victor was good value for her length and a quarter winning margin and provided Coen with a second success on the evening following the earlier victory of No Approval.

Slattery said: "She's a nice filly and I don't think she should be rated 60. We could have gone for a handicap but Mr Garvey said he'd like to win a maiden with her.

"We'll leave her off now. She's better than that and I think she'll improve, I'm hoping she'll improve into a nice filly in the summer. She did a bit of work last Saturday that was better than she's done all year and we think she's improved.

"Hopefully as a four-year-old we'll have something and you probably won't see her until next May. She's a maiden winner now and that's Mr Garvey's main aim."

LEONARD DOUBLE

Snow Patch ran out a shock winner of the opening Happy Christmas To All Our Patrons Nursery Handicap, the most valuable race on the card.

Sent off the 8/1 outsider of four, the only filly in the field proved much too strong for her male counterparts as she recorded a three-quarter-length success.

Snow Patch was quickly sent to the front by jockey Killian Leonard and with hot-favourite It's Two O Clock never a factor, the pair were able to dictate matters before kicking clear with a couple of furlongs to run and the result was never in any doubt thereafter.

Leonard then doubled -up with a 5/1 victory on Free To Roam in the six-furlong irishinjuredjockeys.com Handicap.

The Adrian McGuinness-trained four-year-old made the most of the 20lbs she was receiving from the Edward Lynam-trained Clare Island and there was half a length between the two greys at the line.

Mokhalad (10/1) left behind some moderate recent displays when coming out on top in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Race & Stay Handicap.

The four-year-old seemingly put the race to bed when coming through to lead inside the final furlong but was given a real fright late on as eventual runner-up Guanabara Bay finished with a wet sail.

There was only a head separating the pair at the finish, with Rummaging back in third.

READ THE FULL DUNDALK REPORT IN THIS WEEKEND'S EDITION OF THE IRISH FIELD