Jamie Mott and John McArdle celebrated a watershed Group 1 win in the Moir Stakes (1000m) at Sandown with bonny mare My Gladiola finishing powerfully to score.
The $10 shot tracked behind Cavalry Girl ($8.50) and Natural Fling ($3) and with the field spurning the inside, Mott had plenty of room to angle My Gladiola for her run.
At the 300m, Mott committed the I Am Invincible mare to the inside of Cavalry Girl and she began to slowly chip away at the deficit.
With 50m to go, the grey four-year-old drew level with the early pacesetter and forged to a neck win, while 50kg flyweight fancy Natural Fling finished third.
Mott struggled to contain his emotion, fighting back tears in his fifth but most poignant Group 1 victory.
“This has topped it. I’m getting emotional talking about it,” he said.
“To do it with this horse, and for John; he’s such a good person and we’ve worked together for so long, I don’t know how many years it is. We get along great. Like everyone, you have your ups and down, but this has topped it for the two of us.
“He’s a great trainer and an even better person. He’s stuck solid with me for a while now.
“We’ve both had success in Group 1s, but not together, so this is very special.”
The 38-year-old, with almost 1800 wins to his name, had ridden My Gladiola in 12 of her 13 starts.
The only time he had not partnered her was when she carried 50.5kg for a Newmarket Handicap 10th under Craig Williams in which Mott steered 11th placegetter War Machine.
McArdle said he had considered scratching the mare due to the track condition, suggesting if it had been any worse than the Soft7 rated he would have.
It was the trainer’s second top-level triumph after Hollow Bullet’s VRC Oaks win of 2004.
“To have Motty in the saddle, it’s very special,” McArdle said.
“It’s outstanding. We’ve won a lot of Group races and placed in Group 1s since Hollow Bullet won 22 years ago. We’ve been close a couple of times with this filly, so now she’s got a very much-deserved Group 1.
“We never shirked any task; she took them all on and ran gallant seconds to Tentyris a couple of times, so to win the Group 1… it’s great.”
It is anticipated that My Gladiola will next start in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in three weeks or the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at Flemington the following Saturday before posturing towards the Royal Ascot carnival next year.
A major storm belted the racetrack following the race and the final two events, including the Group 3 Chautauqua Stakes (1200m), were transferred to Wednesday’s meeting at the same course.
In Sydney, winning machine Tempted ($1.95f) resumed in fine style, unleashing a brutal turn of acceleration to settle the Group 2 Concorde Stakes (1000m) halfway up the straight.
Later, Lindermann ($2.75f) dictated the tempo of the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) and landed an easy success.
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