Jockey Jamie Mott wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity of partnering debut winner American Eagle at Sandown.
Mott rode at Caulfield last Saturday before ducking up to Noosa on the Sunshine Coast with his family to recharge the batteries.
But he was back in action on Wednesday at Sandown partnering the Clayton Douglas -trained Amercan Eagle to victory in the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap (1200m).
While not relishing the heavy track conditions, American Eagle ($3.40) scored a three-quarter length win over the $2.80Â favourite Judas Tree with Commit ($5) a long neck away third.
American Eagle has only been in Douglas’ care for the past fortnight following the 28-day disqualification handed to Anthony and Sam Freedman.
Having trialled in Sydney, American Eagle was sent south where he won a Mornington jump-out over 800m on July 8.
“I was really looking forward to riding this guy,” Mott said.
“He came down here with some nice raps on him and he gave me a really good feel on what was a really testing track at the Mornington jump-outs.
“Today the track conditions were a little bit better than what they were there and I was confident, even though he’s a horse that will be better on top of the ground, but I was confident he would get through it today.
“I think he’s got a lot of class and a bright future.”
Even though Douglas is still getting to know American Eagle , he likes what he has seen from the colt in the short time he has been in his care.
“He’s got a great temperament and that’s going to take him a long way,” Douglas said.
“He’s a big strong horse that is going to keep on developing and I think there will be some nice races for him in the future.
“We think that he will get out over further so we wanted to make sure that he raced in a good manner today and we felt the Sandown track would suit him, a big spacious track, where we could let him balance up.
“He hit the line nicely and I think he will improve off the run as I think he’s a bit away fitness wise.”
With just two weeks remaining before the Freedman father-and-son can return training ranks, Douglas joked he may have to run the colt four or five times to get a few winners on the board.
“I think the best thing with this horse is that I might ease off him a touch to get him ready for some better races in the spring,” he said.
