Torrens leads the Way on Rothwell's Gustavo The Philip Rothwell trained Gustavo Goodway stepped up on recent form to run out a comfortable winner of the Fibrus Says Neigh To Price Hikes Handicap Hurdle at Down Royal. Reverting to hurdling, having made little impact on two recent starts over fences, the 16/1 chance improved on anything he had done previously to record a first win under rules. Held up towards rear for much of the contest, Torrens moved closer on the outside after three out. Pushed along to head leader Captain Kate at the penultimate flight, Gustavo Goodway kept on well to score by one-and-a-quarter lengths. Ballerina Boxer, who had always been anchored in rear, stayed on past beaten rivals to take the runner-up spot. Philip Rothwell said: "That horse was running an absolute super race in Thurles and got brought down. He went to Wexford and was running a super race and the saddle slipped. He went to Wexford the next day and I shouldn't have run him, it was way softer than what was given and the rain came. "He wants a galloping track and good ground so, even though I thought today was coming a little bit quick for him, it was the right race and we stuck him in and thank God. "I'd say after the rough and tumble he got for the last few weeks, it is easier to jump a hurdle. He did jump well and he jumped well around Wexford the last day over fences. He has just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. "He has had some good runs, he was third in Gowran last year in a nice chase. Winter ground just didn't suit. We put blinkers on and made the running in Leopardstown just to get interest back again. Then we stepped him back up in trip and started to drop him in. "I was hoping he would win in Thurles and this is very much overdue. It was getting to the stage that I was feeling sorry for the lads and thinking of trading him in because I was starting to second guess myself. Now it is onwards and upwards." Additional reporting by Michael Graham.
