Jamie Mott has ridden his first jumps winner, denying trainer Darren Weir a clean sweep of the maiden hurdle races at Warrnambool.
Best known for his exploits on the flat, Mott guided Livery to victory in the third division of the maiden hurdle on Tuesday.
In doing so he ended the run of Darren Weir and jockey John Allen on the opening day of the three-day Warrnambool carnival.
Weir and Allen combined with Fastnet Isle and Paraggi in the first two divisions before Ancient King finished 3-3/4 lengths astern of Livery.
Mott tried his hand over jumps last year before Robert Smerdon contacted him at the start of the season and offered him rides.
He was hoping his first winner may have come earlier in the day aboard the Smerdon-trained Western Kingdom.
“I got back from holidays over Christmas and was just taking my time,” Mott said.
“I hadn’t schooled a horse for quite some time and when asked by Robert I was keen to get back into it.”
Smerdon predicts a bright future for Livery after purchasing the gelding from Lloyd and Nick Williams.
Weir thinks he might be back at Warrnambool in 12 months running in the major jumps of the carnival, the Grand Annual Steeplechase, with debut hurdle winner Fastnet Isle.
Weir said the four-year-old had a jumped his fences higher than most horses Allen rates the gelding a steeplechaser in the making.
Cliff’s Dream was euthanaised after breaking a knee in a fall at the second last jump in the race won by Livery with jockey Richard Eynon escaping injury.
