Clayton Douglas can now add the Australian Hurdle as a trainer to his win as a rider after Mr Waterville scored at Sandown.
Douglas rode Self Sense to victory in 2018 before making the switch to training and watched Mr Waterville record an easy win in the Australian Hurdle (3900m) at Sandown on Sunday.
Sent out the $2.70 under Steven Pateman, Mr Waterville raced to a 4-½ length win from Highland Blaze ($2.80) with The Storyteller ($3) the same margin away third.
Douglas left nothing to chance in his preparation for Sunday’s race revealing he had schooled Mr Waterville at Mornington on Thursday morning.
It came after Mr Waterville had a steeplechase school at Traralgon following his win in the Champions Novice Hurdle at Warrnambool earlier in the month.
“I schooled him myself on Thursday,” Douglas said.
“There are four jumps per lap at Mornington, and I think I went around seven times, and his jumping has got better each time.
“He even had 1000 metres on the treadmill this morning, just to make him concentrate as he can get a bit above himself.
“He lost his way on the flat and this is what jumps racing can do.
“He’s found a real interest in it and he’s a beautiful clean winded horse, a great stayer and I knew the 3900 (metres) wasn’t going to worry him.
“I was more worried about his jumping. He’s quite novicey, and I know from experience these novice horses when they get into fields like this against more experienced horses, they tend to make a mistake.
“Steve rode him well, rated him well, and I think he’s going to get better and will improve with time.”
Douglas said the added experience over jumps was noticeable throughout Sunday’s race.
“You could see him draw down to his jumps better today,” Douglas said.
“It is a jumping race, and they are there to jump, and that’s the key.
“He’s got the ability the more he does and we will see him over fences in time.
“We’ll just work our way through it and see where we get to, and I would like to give him a steeplechase run this time, but we’ll probably work towards the Grand National Hurdle at this stage.”
Mr Waterville has some ‘heavy hitters’ in the ownership and carries the colours of champion sprinter Nature Strip, who was part-owned by Rod Lyon.
Also in the ownership group is Chris Waller who recently notched his 200th Group 1 winner as a trainer.
“Hopefully he (Waller) watched it and he’s happy,” Douglas said.
“It’s unbelievable having a good jumper.”
