Smartly bred Divine Approach showed vast improvement at Navan today as the Michael O'Callaghan trained half-sister to well known Group 1 winner Red Cadeaux laughed at her opposition when winning the concluding Racing Again October 14th Handicap (div 2), hard-held under jockey Leigh Roche.

The daughter of Dawn Approach had failed to place in six previous starts, three of which were in handicap company, but her stout pedigree came though today, as the half-sister to Melbourne Cup hero Red Cadeaux scored an effortless success over 18 rivals.

O'Callaghan wasn't present and afterwards jockey Roche couldn't mask the impression the winner had left on him, joking “I think her handicap mark is out the window now!”

“They went hard in front and I was able to settle in there in the middle of them, let her travel and switch off. She travelled well, they all stopped in front and I landed there on the bridle. She's done it very easily.

“She has improved throughout the year and I wouldn't be surprised if she stayed in training next year. We'll see what the handicapper does now but hopefully she might be able to pick up another one.

“You couldn't ask for her to do anything better today. She enjoyed the race, loved the ground and trip. Everything was perfect for her.”

Divine Approach's half-brother Red Cadeaux finished second in three renewals of the Melbourne Cup, in 2011 (when beaten a nose), in 2013 and '14 before sadly suffering a life-ending injury in the 2015 renewal.

Quotes from Gary Carson