Julie Douglas, who leads the premiership, and fourth-ranked Emma Stewart had three starters each in the six-horse field.
It was Stewart who took the honours with six-year-old Demon Delight, which picked up a lion’s share of the prizemoney when driven comfortably to victory by Hamilton driver Jackie Barker.
Barker drove four and a half hours to take the drive and upset the favourite, Like a Wildfire, to earn East Brighton owners Russell and Pam Hackham another country cup victory.
It was Demon Delight’s 13th win from 34 starts and it now has prizemoney totalling almost $1/4 million. Only a week ago the horse was the winner of the Charlton Cup, also driven to victory by Barker.
Barker’s father, Rodney, was a previous driver for the Hockhams, having driven one of their previous stable stars Devilish Smile to victory in the Mt Gambier Cup many years ago.
Barker is in outstanding form, only days earlier having driven four winners at a Stawell meeting.
The Hockhams, despite having won several country cups, have never won the Echuca Cup, but have owned multiple Group one harness star Shadow Sax (who died earlier this month) and several other stars of the sport.
Friday evening’s Cup meeting was the first as president for newly elected Shane Gloury, who took over the role at the annual general meeting on Monday night.
The Rich River Golf Club chief executive officer has more than 20 years experience in harness racing and replaces retiring president Rob Height.
“He was keen to hand it over and I have worked for a number of harness racing clubs,” he said.
“It worked for all parties.”
Gloury presented the winner of the Alabar Farms Trotters Handicap to Euroa-based husband-and-wife team, David and Anne Jack, who won the event with Marengo Bay.
David trains and drove the horse to victory, while Anne was the sole representative of the family as her children and grand children were at a car-racing event at Bathurst.
“We are regulars at Echuca and we enjoy coming here,” she said.
The couple won the Wangaratta cup with Moreton Bay last week, a half brother to Half Marengo Bay. The family has a strong presence in harness racing, with Paul Jack president at the Albury club.
Another husband-and-wife team, Dean Goodridge and Carla Inness-Goodridge, combined with driver Ellen Tormey to win the Arch Electrical Trotters Cup with $17 shot Zarem.
It was Zarem’s 77th race start, the Goodridge combination taking on the horse after it had not finished in the money at its first 20 starts.
Arch Electrical managing director Rob Clarke presented the blanket to connections, explaining his close connection to the area.
While his business is based in Melbourne his uncle, Tongala’s Michael Watt, trains several of his 15-plus stable of trotters.
"We have brought 15 or 20 of us here up here. If not for Michael, along with Norm and Joan Visca (key figures with Echuca Harness Racing Club) I would not have achieved what I have,“ Clarke said.
“I enjoy the country style of racing and my tip for harness racing followers is to keep an eye on Michael Watt.
“He is as good as any trainer out there. When he gets the cattle he will prove it.”
Keeping it in the family, yet another husband-and-wife team, Sarah and Michael Towers, prepared Im Harvey Specter to win the Tiffany Murray Memorial Pace.
In the sulky to steer the $8.50 shot to victory was Michael’s sister, Stacey.
Stacey was a close friend of former harness racing driver Tiffany Murray, whose family was on hand to make the presentation.
The race has been going for a decade and Stacey said she had been wanting to win it for a long time.
“I missed a couple of years of the race due to having babies, but otherwise I have generally finish out the back.
“This was a special win,” she said, in accepting the spoils of victory from Tim Mannix, whose Bendigo-based family sponsored the event’s trophy.
Tiffany Murray grew up in the area and lost her life to illness.
Her sister, Sam Clark, has now moved to Echuca from Geelong and was at the event to share the moment with the Towers family.
