Amo’s new appointment scores on second Irish ride Former Norfolk Stakes-winner Valiant Force (10/11f) gave UK-based jockey Rowan Scott a first win on just his second ride in Ireland today, landing Dundalk’s Book Online @ DundalkStadium.com Race for his new employers Amo Racing. Group 2-winning rider Scott, 29, was announced as one of Amo Racing’s retained jockeys last December and today returned to Ireland for his first ride since October 2017 when riding the Robson Aguiar-trained five-year-old. Disputing the lead, Scott moved Valiant Force to lead over a furlong out and finished well to score by 4.25 lengths from Kerdos. Valiant Force, whose 2023 juvenile season culminated with a runner-up finish at the Breeders' Cup, was registering a sixth success and Amo Racing’s representative Ryan McElligott said "he was very good, had a nice little break since he last ran and has come back in great form. “We are hoping to go to Lingfield on February 21 for a Listed race over five furlongs, the Hever Sprint Stakes. "If you look at all his form over the last two years, on the synthetic surfaces he is pretty good and he still retains all the ability. I don't know if we will go back to the turf because it just didn't seem to work. Obviously, with the preference for the all-weather you are somewhat curtailed for the summer, but at the same time maybe he can win a couple of nice races. "He's a horse who could travel and we might bring him somewhere for a dirt race." Quotes from Michael Graham
