Jockey Michael Walker praised the fighting qualities of Jacquinot Bay after the seasoned campaigner wasn't going to be denied in Friday's Listed Lord Stakes at Sandown.

Jacquinot Bay kept responding after hitting the front at the top of the straight in the 1600-metre event, edging out Mouro who was also brave under a big weight.

"The horse needs to take a lot of credit here because he could have laid down and got beaten," Walker said.

"When the other horse got to him, he actually got a head past me, he fought back. He (Mouro) was going to beat me, hands down, but it was a good effort."

Walker was only riding Jacquinot Bay in a race for the second time and both he and co-trainer Tom Danernig believe putting the gelding closer to the speed in his past couple of starts has made a difference.

Jacquinot Bay ($16) notched his first win since joining the Lindsay Park team.

He was formerly trained by the late Guy Walter and the gelding's eight wins under his care included this year's Listed Canberra Cup (2000m).

The Canberra Cup in March is on the radar again.

"He had been racing well through the spring and I think he's going to really hit form through the summer," Dabernig said.

"He has previously won the Canberra Cup so if he can stay up a long time we might head to races like the Albury or Canberra Cup."

Mouro, who had 60kg, was forced to race three-wide for part of the race and loomed up in the straight to look the winner before going down by a short head with Aeratus ($11) a half-neck away third.

Tony McEvoy described Mouro's performance as brave and said he would be headed for a spell.