The Michael Grassick trained 12 year old Hard Rock City rolled back the years to record his ninth career win, in the Group Discounts At Dundalk Handicap (div 1) at Dundalk this evening.

The son of Danzig, a winner of his first four races at the age of five and today racing from a rating of just 65 (down from a high of 112), stayed on gamely inside the final furlong, to reward his rider Niall McCullagh with his first win on the gelding since 2005.

Afterwards Grassick said “I thought if he went on the track that he would win, even if he is older than me!”

“I was afraid the ground was a little quick for him now that he is older and while I’ve had him back four or five months, it was nearly impossible to assess him on The Curragh with the winds.

“Niall (McCullagh) has been riding him at home and was very happy with him and the horse still loves what he does - it’s nice to get off the mark early in the season.”