Leclerc (5/2f) gained a deserved first win at Dundalk today, landing the Dundalk Stadium Gift Vouchers Handicap (div II) for trainer Ado McGuinness and jockey Adam Caffrey.

The son of Showcasing finished third and second respectively on his last two runs and today was produced from mid-field to lead over a furlong out and beat Bellick by three parts of a length.

Afterwards McGunness said McGuinness said "he was entitled to do that but I was a bit worried going back to seven (furlongs). Early on in the year, he showed me a lot of pace and we ran him a couple of times and he was a bit disappointing.

"He's a huge, big horse and had a lot of problems, I think, before I got him (as an unraced horse) but he's grand. He should be able to collect again up here for the winter and will get further.

"He definitely worked a lot higher than the rating he received when he started and then he let us down.

"The young lad (Caffrey) was very cool on him, he's a good kid to ride."

Quotes from Michael Graham