Measured Approval was in more than one notebook as a potential improver at the start of the campaign and the Acclamation gelding got Pat Flynn off the mark for the season when supplying Joseph O'Brien with another winner when taking the Derrinstown Stud Apprentice Handicap at Dundalk.

Without a winner since Louisville Lip did the business at Thurles back at the end of January and just before his former employee Tom Queally sampled a once in a lifetime sensation aboard the spectacular Frankel in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, Flynn was present at Dundalk to see Measured Approval come home best to prevail by a neck from favourite Queen Grace in the five furlong event.

The Waterford trainer remarked afterwards: "I like this horse a lot and as he is only three he is still just a baby. Joseph thinks he'd get up to an easy mile.

"I thought he'd win the last day at Tipperary but he had a cold that week. Alan (MacAlister, the winning owner) is from Perth in Australia and he has ten horses with me."