Icon looks smart as Smullen doubles up

London Icon justified his short price when producing a powerful front-running performance in the median auction maiden at Naas.

Pat Smullen moved back to within four of Colin Keane when partnering his second winner of the day aboard the 9/10 favourite (11/8 this morning).

The Adrian Keatley-trained colt was soon in front in the mile contest and was asked to quicken a furlong-and-a-half from home. He stayed on strongly in the closing stages for a three-and-a-quarter-length win over Night Of Power

The winner had shaped with plenty of promise when third in a good Curragh maiden in mid-August.

"He's a fair horse and we think a lot of him, and have done since the spring. Thank God he's repaying the faith we've had in him from day one,” said Keatley.

"Whether he runs again this year I don't know. There is a Group 3 (Killavullan Stakes) at Leopardstown. Pat thought he'd be better on a bit of nicer ground, and felt he didn't get to hit top gear with him there today on that ground.

"He'll definitely make the winter a bit shorter. We have been patient all the way through as he's a big scopey horse and we weren't going to be rushing him anyhow."

(Quotes by Alan Magee)