Rice trains first winner with 50/1 outsider

Course-regular Picpoul credited local trainer Michael Rice with a first winner at Dundalk today as the €1,000 yearling purchase caused a 50/1 upset, under jockey Jamie Powell, in the Extra Places Everyday At BetVictor Handicap (div I).

Picpoul failed to figure in seven previous runs but today, racing 3lbs out of the handicap with a rating of 42, led with a furlong and a half to race and scored by two and three parts of a length from Power Drive

Rice, who purchased the daughter of Gale Force Ten as a yearling, later revealed “we take her here most Tuesday mornings to give her a piece of work so it's paid off and that's my very first winner.

“I've been trying a couple of years and if you keep trying you'll get there. I train over in Ravensdale which is only seven or eight minutes away.”

He added “she's a bad traveller so we wouldn't be travelling too far with her.

“I ran her as a two-year-old, maybe I shouldn't have as she was a bit weak, but some jockeys say the experience has done her the world of good.

“I'm delighted to get the first winner and we'll come back here again. I'll see how she is in the morning but she's a great grubber so no doubt she'll be as sound as a pound in the morning.”

Picpoul is a wine grape variety from southwest France and means 'lip stinger', due to its zingy acidity.

Quotes from Gary Carson