Developer very much ahead (4)
I believe the answer is:
soup
'developer' is the definition.
(chemicals in which photographs are developed)
'very much ahead' is the wordplay.
'very much' becomes 'so'.
'ahead' becomes 'up' (similar in meaning).
'so'+'up'='SOUP'
(Other definitions for soup that I've seen before include "Preliminary course" , "Liquid dish" , "Photographic developer" , "Mulligatawny or borscht?" , "Opus (anag) - typical starter" .)