U S Navy Flag and Seamie Heffernan© Photo Healy Racing
U S Navy Flag appreciated the addition of blinkers when leaving the form of his four previous runs behind with an impressive success in the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Irish EBF Maiden at the Curragh.
The War Front full-brother to Roly Poly previously set the pace when third to Brother Bear in the Marble Hill, and front-running tactics worked a treat here.
The 13/2 chance made all under Seamie Heffernan, and stretched right away in the final furlong to beat Dawn Delivers by three and a half lengths. Fleet Review was a further half-length away in third.
Winning trainer Aidan O’Brien said, “We always thought he was a very nice horse but he has disappointed a few times. He’s a very well-bred horse.
“We thought he wasn’t concentrating so we put blinkers on today. Some horses take a long time to get it together and obviously they have focused his mind. It may be that he doesn’t need them again.
“Seamus said he won very well. He has plenty of pace and had them all in trouble a long way out.”
