Delcros and Torrens off the mark at Down Royal

Rossmore's Pride justified good support to give Donegal based trainer Christian Delcros and jockey Simon Torrens their first winners in the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle at Down Royal.

The ten-year-old was backed from 11/1 this morning and went to post a 5/1 shot for the two-mile three contest.

Torrens tracked the leaders on the gelding before producing his mount to challenge before the second last.

He hit the front jumping that flight and the Heron Island gelding stuck on well in the closing stages to beat Mister Butler by two-and-a-half lengths.

“He did it nicely, he's not a horse that would enjoy that sort of ground. Now he's going to go and jump a fence. He needs better ground,” said Delcros.

"That's my first winner, it took a long time! I took out the licence a year ago and we had a couple of horses placed.

"I came from France to Ireland and stayed in Ireland. I was a jockey in France and moved to Ireland in 1977 and I worked for Darkie Prendergast.

“Then I went to Dessie Hughes when Dessie started off - I worked with him for 27 years. I rode for Dessie and did bits and pieces that could be done in a racing yard. I was head man there and left in 2010.

"We have seven horses in including a couple of young horses. We are based in Donegal unfortunately!

“You have to work with the facilities you have and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. We are just outside Donegal Town."

(Quotes by Michael Graham)