Leigh opens Flat account

Declan Leigh saddled his first Flat winner when Le Diablo Rouge took the apprentice handicap in the capable hands of Julie Burke.

Burke, partnering her fourth winner, had the five-year-old up with the pace throughout and the combination kept on well under pressure to beat the staying on Gothen Niece by a length and a half.

The placings of the third (Catherine) and fourth (Fire Drill) were reversed following a stewards enquiry after the latter met with interference about a furlong out. Sean Levey, rider of Catherine picked up a two day suspension for careless riding.

'We were waiting for an ease in the ground and were going to go hurdling but we may wait a little longer and give him another run on the Flat,' said Leigh.