O'Brien's Leading Light The 5/4 favourite Leading Light ran out a tenacious winner of the Queen's Vase (In Memory of Sir Henry Cecil) at Royal Ascot. For much of the contest the strong-travelling Disclaimer looked like he could provide the fairytale success for Lady Cecil but he weakened from the two furlong market and the winner went to the front. He was immediately pressed by Feel Like Dancing (20/1) who thundered home down the centre of the track but Leading Light found more for pressure and went on to score by a length-and-a-half. It was the same distance back to 66/1 chance who ran a huge race in third. "We were a little bit worried about the trip, but other than that we thought he was a very nice horse and he's toughed it out," said the winning rider. "He's very relaxed and he has a great attitude. He tries hard and when you get stuck into him he fights. "He's very idle. When he gets to the front he stops, but whenever another horse gets to him, they don't go past him. He always just does enough." Sky Bet cut the winner to 7/1 from 10s for the Ladbrokes St Leger. Spokesman Michael Shinners said: "He looked all stamina and showed real guts to get back up when challenged. In the long term he could well be a Gold Cup horse." Disclaimer could not provide Warren House stables with a poignant winner of the Queen's Vase, named in honour of the late trainer. The colt travelled smoothly into the lead turning into the straight. However, Disclaimer's stamina gave way soon afterwards. Cecil won the race an incredible eight times in his career, among his record 75 Royal Ascot triumphs, and all of the jockeys wore black armbands in memory of the legendary figure.
