Mott lands late call up win at Sandown

A stroke of luck for Jamie Mott came at Sandown when he picked up a last-minute ride on Bancory Bay after Jye McNeil was sidelined due to an injury scare at Mornington.

Mott made the most of the opportunity, pushing Bancory Bay to a gritty victory in the Evergreen Handicap (1500m), overcoming She Nailed It before narrowly holding off Rapid Cheval in a thrilling finish.

McNeil was forced to miss his Sandown engagements after a horse flipped over on him during morning jump-outs at Mornington. The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey was sent for scans to assess a possible leg injury but remains hopeful of taking the ride on Place Du Carrousel in Saturday’s Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

Bancory Bay, trained by Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson, secured his second victory in nine starts, with Thompson believing the tough win will help build the gelding’s confidence.

Racing just behind She Nailed It, Bancory Bay made his move turning for home, while the rest of the field remained several lengths behind.

In a gripping finale, Bancory Bay ($6.50) edged out Rapid Cheval ($2.80) by a short half-head, while She Nailed It ($51) finished a further half-head away in third.

“Speaking to Jamie before the race, it worked out the way he thought,” Thompson said.

“We planned to be positive from the gate, knowing that horse would take the lead. Jamie rated him perfectly, and we were just waiting for the line to come up at the end.

“Jamie’s a strong rider and really got the best out of him.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of this horse, and it’s great to see him finally living up to expectations. Hopefully, this win gives him the confidence he needs to progress further.”