Red Rock Canyon finally gets off the mark

TWENTY-ONE race maiden Red Rock Canyon finally opened his account when justifying odds-on favouritism in the Tote Jackpot Races 3 To 6 Maiden at Roscommon last night.

A first ride back after suspension for stable-jockey Johnny Murtagh, the Aidan O’Brien-trained five-year-old coped adequately with the soft ground to see off the flattering Miss Chaparral by a length, having edged ahead before the home-turn.

Red Rock Canyon, narrowly beaten by the classy Teofilo on his debut as a two-year-old, has served as a lead-horse and pacemaker in Ballydoyle for most of a career which included creditable thirds behind stable-companions Duke Of Marmalade and Dylan Thomas in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and Irish Champion Stakes respectively.