Sailors Swan and Pat Smullen in full flow with less than a furlong to race © Photo Healy Racing
Sailors Swan got off the mark with the minimum of fuss in the opener at Navan, the Come Racing On June 14th Maiden, scoring under Pat Smullen for Dermot Weld.
The son of Henrythenavigator finished a good fourth to Ebanoran on his debut over seven furlongs at the Curragh last October, and he was well-fancied to oblige on his seasonal reappearance this afternoon.
Stepped back in trip to five furlongs here, the bay colt was as short as even money this morning, but he drifted on-course from 5/4 to 11/8 on-course, after opening at 6/4.
Prominent throughout, he came with his challenge over a furlong from home, and once he got to the front at the furlong pole he quickly put the race to bed, going on to score easily by three and a half lengths. Body Beautiful kept on to take second at 33/1 under Colin Keane for Ger Lyons, while Zaindera was a further half a length back in third under Shane Foley for Mick Halford at 9/1.
Dermot Weld said afterwards: "He did it well. Pat said the ground was beautiful, the rain left it really nice.
"It was changed to good to firm this morning and I was a little bit worried as he likes to get his toe in. I was happy when I walked the track that it was safe.
"He was fit, he knew his job and he did it well.
"He will go for a handicap, that's about the right trip for him."
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
