It took 15 attempts but Charlie Swan finally broke a rare big race hoodoo when Grinkov broke the bookmakers in yesterday's £100,000 Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Swan, the nine-times champion jockey, first rode in the race which used to be known as the Ladbroke in 1987, but despite having numerous fancied rides, had never managed to win it.

However Grinkov, the 11 to 2 favourite, filled the blank in style by beating the 16 to 1 outsider, Ricardo, by three lengths with the sole English-trained runner, Rooster Booster, a neck back in third.

Swan and Grinkov returned to a tumultuous reception in the winner's enclosure which was no doubt influenced by the torrent of money that forced Grinkov's price down from 7 to 1.

"It's unbelievable to finally win it. I was always travelling well and had the run of the race, but I had to have the horse underneath me too," said Swan, whose domestic big-race CV had already included the Irish Grand National, the Galway Plate and the Irish Champion Hurdle.

Grinkov's trainer, Pat Hughes, won the race last year with Mantles Prince and purchased the winner for £62,000 at the Doncaster Sales after the horse had been placed in the English Cambridgeshire on the flat. Grinkov races in the colours of the eight-member Anns Backer Syndicate - "We have no off-shore involvement!" - who will now be looking forward to their horse taking his chance at the Cheltenham festival in March.

"I'm favouring running him in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham," said Hughes, who added he is unlikely to run the horse in Newbury's Tote Gold Trophy beforehand.

Grinkov had been ante-post favourite for the first big-race of the year due to running second behind the high-class novice, Ned Kelly, during Leopardstown's Christmas festival and was widely considered to be ahead of the handicapper.

Such logic has a history of being turned on its head in the race, however, and only the 1998 winner, Graphic Equaliser, has been a shorter price scorer in the last 13 years.

However, Grinkov made no mistake and after racing prominently for much of the race took up the running on the turn into the straight.

That straight had caused some concern to the stewards until just 50 minutes before the first race yesterday because of frost remaining in the ground, but it held no fears for Grinkov and Swan.

It was a good day all around for syndicate owners, as the £75,000 Leopardstown Chase was won by the topweight Micko's Dream, who is owned by a racing club made up of prison officers.

Micko's Dream's victory earned him a 20 to 1 quote from Paddy Power for the Aintree Grand National, and the Liverpool connection was strengthened by the winner being ridden by the National winner, Ruby Walsh.

"I'm very pleased with both horse and rider and I thought the rider was exceptional," said Micko's Dream's trainer Willie Mullins.