Ex-jockey and former US based trainer Georgios Pakidis made a winning start to his Irish training venture when his Togoville caused a 14/1 upset to win the Crowne Plaza Leading Jockey & Trainer Championship Rated Race at Dundalk this evening

Ridden by Gary Carroll, the son of Verglas kept going well in the closing stages to hold off the challenge of The Dancing Lord by half a length to provide Kilmore, Co. Armagh based Pakidis with a first winner on his first runner in Ireland.

The winner had been previously successful this year at Roscommon and Laytown for trainer Pat Martin but following today's win, 42 year old Pakidis said “I trained on the east coast of the US for six years, am originally from Athens and was a professional jockey for 16 or 17 years.

“We have 22 horses at the moment but have 45 boxes and are trying to get a bit bigger. We bought a couple of yearlings during the summer and also have national hunt horses.

“I've been in Ireland two years now and came to work for Mr McCann (Patrick McCann, winning owner).”

By Thomas Weekes, quotes from Gary Carson