This year's Champion Apprentice Jockey Shane Crosse got off the mark for the new winter series at Dundalk this evening when steering Vhagar to win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction Maiden and lead home a 1-2 for winning trainer Joseph O'Brien

Stablemate Royal Court was the subject of a gamble and having opened up at 6/1 this morning, was returned the 2/1 favourite, ahead of 5/2 second-favourite Vhagar.

In the race, Vhagar made most of the running to beat Royal Court by a length and a half.

Afterwards Crosse crowned Champion Apprentice at Naas on Sunday, stated “I wanted to get to the front as he’s had a few runs now and been very consistent. The easiest way was to make the running on him, and to be fair he kept at it well.

“He was second to a nice horse of Joseph’s, Eagle Song, the last day and was probably the form horse coming into it and he did it well. Once I asked him he stretched really well, and hit the line running. Hopefully there is more to come from him.”

Quotes from Alan Magee