Benaud stormed home under Shane Crosse to land the Leopardstown Nursery Handicap in good style.

Joseph O'Brien 's Australia colt was still in rear of mid-division with three furlongs to negotiate in this mile contest.

He began to make headway on the outer sweeping round the bend and powered into contention approaching the final furlong.

The 9/2 shot hit the front in the final 100 yards and won going away by two lengths. Hector De Maris the 4/1 favourite, had to settle for second in front of Britzka (20/1) and Bell Ex One at 16/1.

Assistant trainer Brendan Powell said: “He’s a big horse and he’s been slow to come to himself. He’d a lovely run the other day at Limerick where a lot of horses stopped in front of him on horrible ground.

“Today he wanted to be handier but he just seems to be slow away all the time. He’s not the quickest in the world and I think when he goes up to a mile and a quarter he’ll be even better.

“He’s done that off 79 and he’s a horse with a future. Shane said he loves passing horses and you have to ride him for luck.

“He has a good attitude and might be a horse for black type in time. He was very backward and I just think he’s going to improve with every run.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee