A 9,500 guineas buy at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale back in October, Spruce Meadows made a winning start for the Johnny Feane yard in the closing Dundalk Stadium — Light Up Your Night Handicap.

Gary Carroll did the steering on the attractive Intikhab gelding, and the handicap first-timer, a 7/1 shot, led a furlong out in a tightly matched-affair, in the end seeing off Dancing On Air by three parts of a length.

One of the market-leaders, Dashing Chief refused to race.

Feane explained: "He was bought at the Newmarket Horses in Training Sale in October for new owners, Ann and Damian Cassidy, who are from Prosperous.

"There is a mile race back here in a few weeks that he could go for."

(AM & EM)