Lordoftheparrots a significant first for young jockey

AAP, Apprentice Tom Sadler will long remember the cold Wednesday at Sandown in May when he landed his first metropolitan win aboard Lordoftheparrots.

Sadler managed to keep the Mike Moroney-trained Lordoftheparrots straight despite the gelding wanting to lay-in up the straight in the National Jockeys' Trust Hcp (2100m).

Sent out at $4.40, the five-year-old raced clear to score by 2-1/4 lengths from Summarise with the winner's stablemate Balmoral 2-3/4 lengths away third.

The 17-year-old Sadler, who began race riding at the start of the current season last August, was apprenticed to his father, Flemington-based Malua Racing trainer John Sadler until Monday when he began a stint on loan to Aquanita Racing's Robert Smerdon at Caulfield.

"I thought young Thomas rode him a treat. It was a fantastic ride and as Robert (Smerdon) said to me, 'I've only had him a couple of days and improved him'," said Moroney's racing manager Anthony Feroce.

The win was Sadler's 37th overall.

"I think I've had about 30 rides in town for about 10 placings," Sadler said.

"It's definitely good to get the monkey off the back.

"Even getting to the line I was worried about keeping the horse straight and as soon as I got to the line it sunk in that I had my first city winner."

Sadler's family is steeped in racing on both sides with his father a top trainer, while his brother Edward is a race caller, following the same path as his maternal grandfather the late Frank O'Brien.