Mott needs to grab shot at glory on O’brien’s defending champ
JOCKEY Jamie Mott can’t count on a Melbourne Cup opportunity every year, which makes tomorrow’s ride on last year’s winner Vow And Declare vital for his career.
Most Melbourne Cup rides are below the talented heavyweight rider’s 56kg minimum. Mott can push himself hard to ride lighter but strength is vital in the 3200m test.
Mott’s only previous Melbourne Cup ride was on the outsider
Winchester, who finished 17th in 2012. Mott rode Winchester at 55.5kg but has the relative luxury of riding Vow And Declare at 57kg.
Vow And Declare’s trainer Danny O’brien has effectively used Mott services in the past. Mott has ridden almost 70 winners for the stable in recent years, which led to the Melbourne Cup booking.
Damien Oliver rode Vow And Declare into 15th place in the Caulfield Cup but rides Russian Camelot in the Melbourne Cup.
Craig Williams rode Vow And Declare in last year’s Melbourne Cup win but ended his association with the horse in September. Mott was happy to answer O’brien’s call.
“They don’t come along very often at all so I’m lucky this year that Danny has got four runners in the race, which gave me a chance to get on him,” Mott said.
Vow And Declare will carry 5kg more than last year’s winning weight but he’s been down on form.
There are shades of Think Big in
Vow And Declare’s situation tomorrow. Think Big won the Melbourne Cup in 1974 but went winless until he won the 1975 edition.
Mott hopes O’brien’s decision to put blinkers on the gelding can get him back to his best form.
“He’s not in the same level of form as he was last year but he’s been there and done it,” Mott said.
“He could just be a Flemington horse and we’ve seen him go to another level when he gets to two miles.”