Air Force Jet, left, gets to grips with Southern Hills© Photo Healy Racing
Air Force Jet justified 4/11 favouritism in the opening five-furlong maiden at Navan but not without giving his backers a few moments of worry.
Joseph O'Brien 's colt raced second to Southern Hills with a quarter of a mile to travel but soon came off the bridle as the leader attempted to assert in the final furlong.
Air Force Jet was switched out with 150 yards to go and zoomed home to get up in the final strides by a neck from his 2/1 rival.
Jockey Shane Crosse, fresh from a double in Down Royal yesterday, said: “He's a lovely colt. He was a bit unlucky the first day and today he knew his job a bit better.
“I thought I was in a bit of trouble coming down the hill but once he balanced himself up he hit the line well and won going away.
“He's still a big baby and once he puts it all together five will be no problem and six, I don't think, will be an issue either.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
