Leading Light and Joseph O'Brien © Photo Healy Racing
Leading Light produced a smart front-running performance to claim the conditions race at Navan on his seasonal debut.
Joseph O'Brien was keen to lead on the Montjeu colt and he asked him to stretch two furlongs out as he was tackled by Canary Row
9/4 favourite Dibayani had to wait for a gap in the straight but got his run two furlongs out. He tried to throw down a challenged over a furlong out as Canary Row cried enough.
Leading Light had hit top gear, however, and pulled away in impressive style in the closing stages to post a seven-length success over the market leader.
The winner had two starts as a juvenile, winning the second of those at Tipperary.
“He's very lazy and he was off the bridle when he won his maiden at Tipperary,” said Joseph O'Brien afterwards.
“I wanted to get him to the front and when you ask him he gives it to you. I think he'll stay a mile-and-a-half well.”
It was a double on the card for Aidan and Joseph O'Brien following the earlier maiden victory of Just Pretending
(Additional reporting by Alan Magee)
