Newcastle trainer Grant Delany experienced on track success last Saturday when his mare Rock Air won her first start at Newcastle Racecourse.

The five-year-old mare has been plagued by injuries for much of her life, including a fractured pelvis as a three-year-old.

With the Fastnet Rock mare finally at her best, Delany was always confident that she would win her first start.

“She’s just a natural race horse that I knew would win a good race wherever I ran her,” Delany said.

Due to the fact Rock Air remained unraced for so long, her owners were faced with the decision of whether to race her or retire her to stud.

“There are two owners, one of them was in Air She Goes (Rock Air’s dam), and he was happy to keep going with her,” Delany said.

However, the other owner was not so sure.

“Luckily I convinced him to keep going,” Delany said.

Rock Air did not display winning form when she finished last in her most recent barrier trial at Wyong.

“I think that was (against) Group 1 winner (Atomic Force),” Delany said.

“That was an open trial so there’s not put pushing for that.”

Since Rock Air’s two and a half length maiden win, she has developed the life-threatening colic.

“I’ve actually just left the vet, she coliced terrible,” Delany said.

“She pulled up well but coliced terrible.”

Despite the colic scare, Delany is hopeful that Rock Air will return to racing in the next few weeks.

“We’ll go to Sydney next start,” he said.

“In about two or three weeks I’ll find a race for her.”