A twist of fate saw Jamie Mott pick up the winning ride on Bancory Bay at Sandown, after Jye McNeil was sidelined by an injury at Mornington.

Mott was forced to dig deep to secure victory in the Evergreen Handicap (1500m) on Wednesday, edging out third-placed She Nailed It and holding off a late challenge from Rapid Cheval.

McNeil was sent for scans after a horse flipped over on him at Mornington, leaving him unable to ride at Sandown. He hopes to return to action at Flemington on Saturday, where he’s booked to ride Place Du Carrousel in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m).

Trained by Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson, Bancory Bay claimed his second win from nine starts, with Thompson hopeful the victory would boost the gelding’s confidence.

Bancory Bay tracked the leader, She Nailed It, before making his move in the straight, with the remaining rivals six lengths behind. It was a battle to the finish, with Bancory Bay prevailing by a short-half-head from Rapid Cheval, while She Nailed It finished a half-head further back in third.

“Speaking to Jamie before the race, it worked out the way he thought,” Thompson said. “Jamie’s a good strong rider and got the best out of him.”

The victory, Thompson added, should help Bancory Bay build on his potential and gain confidence moving forward.