LESS than a week after earning an Eclipse Award as North America’s top apprentice jockey, Drayden Van Dyke collected his first win as a professional last Friday week at Santa Anita Park, when the Irish-bred Ernest Shackleton won his maiden on his second start in the United States.

When asked how it felt to get his first win on his initial day riding as a journeyman, Van Dyke responded simply, “It feels great.”

Trained by Doug O’Neill, Ernest Shackleton wheeled three-wide turning for home to notch his first stateside win. Ernest Shackleton, bred in Ireland by Barronstown Stud and Orpendale, previously had four starts for Jessica Harrington in Ireland last season, culminating with a win (dead-heat) in a one-mile Listowel nursery.

A chance meeting with long time friend Richard Galway (manager of Punchestown racecourse and son-in-law to trainer Harrington), enabled up and coming bloodstock agent, Alex Elliott, to get the deal done.

“It was during Goffs Orby, I was staying at Baroda Stud with David and Tamso Cox, when Richie Galway said I should come down for the morning to Jessie’s. I actually went with the purpose to view an Equiano filly they had but when they brought out Ernest Shakleton,

‘‘I thought it was a straightforward move, although small, he would fit the bill for California.”

Elliott, a graduate of the prestigious Darley Flying Start programme, is no stranger to American racing, or the West Coast. Upon graduation, Elliott worked as assistant to top trainer Christophe Clement in both Florida and New York before heading up trainer Eoin Harty’s Californian division in 2009.

With such stellar performers as Colonel John, Well Armed, Victor’s Cry and American Lion, to name but a few directly under his care, it is not surprising he has carefully built up a network of support in the region.

Elliott’s relationship with his Californian clients and others throughout the USA has remained steadfast when returning to Britain, to work for McAlmont Bloodstock and once more, when recently stepping out on his own.

OPPORTUNITIES

Indeed, Ernest Shakleton’s racing partnership has already enjoyed success through Elliott’s Irish bloodstock endeavours, Elliott previously purchased two subsequent Californian stakes winners Clenor and She’s Complete for trainer Doug O’Neill from the training yard of Tommy and Fozzy Stack.

Elliott strongly believes there is a thriving market for European stock stateside. “American horses are much more grinders, they are usually bred for the dirt, they have not got that turn of foot that European horses are bred and trained for. It is a combination of physical attributes, pedigree and the way they are trained in England and Ireland that just lends them to a much bigger advantage when they get over there.”

Elliott suggested that Ernest Shackleton will make his next start on February 14th in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gates, a synthetic prep race for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

Bill Mott suspended

THE New York State Gaming Commission has sanctioned trainer Bill Mott for a pair of medication overages in one horse from September 2014, a decision the Racing Hall of Fame conditioner is appealing.

Mott has been suspended 15 days and fined $1,000 for overages of the drug flunixin (Banamine) and furosemide (Lasix) in multiple stakes winner Saratoga Snacks in a race at Belmont Park on September 20th. August Dawn Farm’s Saratoga Snacks finished last of six in the one-mile allowance race.

Both substances were found at levels seven to 10 times above the maximum permitted in the system on race day.