Former WA apprentice Aaron Mitchell scored a career debut jumps win in the Dunroe Steeplechase

The Paddy Payne-trained nine-year-old gelding was handy throughout in the early stages with Kath Durden's Rexmont (Will Gordon).

Michelin ($6.20) shot clear down the home straight to win by three lengths from Rexmont ($16) with the Symon Wilde-trained $2.10 favourite American In Paris working home well for third.

Mitchell said he moved to Victoria from Perth three years ago and he applied to be a jumps jockey 12 months ago.

He's only been cleared to ride in the past fortnight and Payne thought Michelin would be the perfect horse for Mitchell to kick off his jumps career with at the Warrnambool carnival.

"I've done a lot of schooling while working with Paddy after getting here," Mitchell said.

"I rode a bit on the flat when I got over here but I pulled the pin on that pretty quick and started working with Paddy.

"Jumps racing is something I've slowly learnt since I've been with Paddy."

Mitchell rode for six years on the flat, mainly in Perth where he outrode his apprentice claim and was the leading apprentice in WA.

"It's just happened to all work out that this was my first ride and it was at Warrnambool," he said.

"It's amazing to get that first winner on my first ride and he had a good chance as well."

Mitchell said he rode Michelin most days.

"Paddy thought he was the right one for me. It's very special," he said.

"I'll be giving the jumps a go while I've got the opportunity. I'll take it ride-by-ride and season-by-season but while I'm enjoying it I'll keep doing it."

The hoop said he had to work pretty hard to keep his weight under 70kg.

"I have to do lot of running and exercise, but I'm happy to keep doing that to have these opportunities," he said.

Mitchell knew he was going to win a long way from the finish line after having a peak over his shoulder down the straight and three looks at the big trackside screen.

He said his grandfather Wally Mitchell trained gun sprinter Placid Ark.

"I've always gone to stables as a young kid. I've been involved in racing from day dot," he said.

"I love jumps racing and have a real passion for it."

Placid Ar won the autumn Melbourne features - The Lightning Stakes, Oakleigh Plate and the Newmarket Handicap in the mid 1980s.

In the Dunroe Steeplechase two horses fell.

Shayne Fisher's Fulmineus was euthanased after falling after the field came back onto the track proper. Top weight Ascot Red and jockeys Clayton Douglas and Ross O'Sullivan were all OK.

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