Casting a long shadow: Brazen Shadow ridden by Rose Hammond wins the O'Connors CIH Echuca Maiden Plate at Echuca Racecourse on September 16, 2023 in Echuca. Photo: Brendan McCarthy/Racing Photos
Photo by
Brendan McCarthy
Hometown trainers Gwenda Johnstone and Rhys Archard enjoyed the spoils of success at Echuca on Saturday.
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Despite a clash with the Murray league football and netball grand final at Moama, a bumper crowd was on hand at Echuca Racecourse for the strong eight-race card.
Summer-like conditions in early spring ensured many football and netball trips away had a terrific afternoon.
As too, Johnstone and Archard.
The Johnstone stable struck early as Brazen Shadow powered to success in the O’Connors CIH Echuca Maiden Plate (1200m).
Ridden by rising star Rose Hammond, Brazen Shadow ($17) produced a powerful late burst to score by a length and a quarter from the well-fancied Lottwon ($1.40fav).
It proved a noteworthy win for Hammond, the 20th of her blossoming career.
The local apprentice jockey has outridden her 3kg country claim and will now claim 2kg.
The win also rewarded the patience of the Mackenzie family, who race Brazen Shadow.
The son of Brazen Beau did not race until a week shy of his sixth birthday and hopefully better things are in store after saluting at just his third race day appearance.
There was something serendipitous about Archard training a winner on Murray league grand final day.
The former Echuca and Moama champion sported a smile as Tutankhamun won the Rich River Party Hire Rating 58 Handicap (2100m).
Tutankhamun ($4.20fav) produced a sustained run from the rear of the field to overhaul Superdeel and prevail by three-quarters of a length.
Pharaoh effort: Tutankhamun ridden by Rhys McLeod wins the Rich River Party Hire 0-58 Handicap at Echuca Racecourse on September 16, 2023 in Echuca. Photo: Brendan McCarthy/Racing Photos
Photo by
Brendan McCarthy
Winning jockey Rhys McLeod has built a great affinity with the five-year-old son of Palentino.
The hoop has been in the saddle for his two career wins, both at Echuca.
McLeod completed a winning double later in the program aboard the Mitch Freedman-trained Birthday Suit.
Birthday Suit ($6) produced a similar type run as Tutankhamun in the Bet365 Echuca Rating 58 Handicap (1300m), rattling home in the straight for a 2 1/2 length success.
A centimetre-perfect Brad Rawiller ride foiled what would have been a third Echuca-trained winner in the Murphy’s Turf & Landscaping Rating 58 Handicap (1600m).
Donna Gaskin’s The Talking Toff ($10) loomed large as the winner halfway down the straight, but Ocean Raider ($2.20fav) did an excellent job to get his nose in front on the line.
The state’s premier stable, Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, landed a winner when Favourite Child ($2fav) justified her status as the best bet on the program.
A four-year-old daughter of Dundeel, Favourite Child controlled proceedings in the lead under jockey Patrick Moloney and was never seriously threatened on the way to the 3 1/4 length victory.
Mark down Sumadartson as a horse to follow after he sealed a winning debut in the Border Inn Hotel Moama Maiden Plate (1200m).
The three-year-old son of Nostradamus had some admirers pre-race when backed from $26 into $17 and he duly delivered, beating Grey Ice by three-quarters of a length.
He continued a good recent run of trips to Echuca for Gippsland-based jockey Jason Maskiell, who has built up a great affinity with the likes of Dance Ready and Onslaught in previous visits to the border.
The Mark and Levi Kavanagh-trained Rasputina handled the step up beyond 10 furlongs in the Brewery Fresh Carlton Draught Maiden (2100m).
The daughter of Russian Revolution was supported from $3.20 into $2.80 and showed her class with a two and a half length success, her first at start nine.
Mighty Feat closed out the program for trainer Scott McIntosh and jockey Jaylah Kennedy in the Moama Bowling Club Rating 58 Handicap (1000m).
The success was his fourth in 32 starts and lifted Mighty Feat’s career earnings past the $100,000 mark.
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