RAIN-softened ground was a game changer for the first flat meeting of the Harvest Festival at Listowel on Tuesday, most notably in the feature Listed Edmund & Josie Whelan Memorial Listowel Stakes which produced an 80/1 shock winner in Maud Gonne Spirit.

Ridden by Nathan Crosse, the 82-rated six-year-old mare was the rag of a somewhat depleted field, but she basically hung tough in the ground, coming off the rail to mow down both long-time leader and stablemate Curvature and Galways scorer Miramis.