Brown’s strike-rate on the border continues to grow after Lady Whistledown’s impressive victory in the O’Connors Now In Echuca Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m).
The trainer had been concerned pre-race by the heavy track, but the four-year-old daughter of Unencumbered proved the superior wet-tracker.
Ridden by Mitch Aitken, Lady Whistledown ($3) strolled home by 2¾ lengths from Miss Athena.
“It was a good win, wasn’t it?” Brown said.
“She got back and finished strong. I suppose she won’t have too many problems now stepping up to 2000m on a wet track.
“She’s a good, tough little filly, easy to handle, easy to ride.”
Crystalaa sparkles
Favourite backers got off to the ideal start when Crystalaa made light work of the Echuca Newsagency Maiden Plate (1200m).
Despite the downgrade from a good 4 to soft 7 in the lead-up due to the wet weather, the three-year-old son of Shalaa lived up to expectations.
Crystalaa ($1.90 favourite) jumped handy to sit outside the early leader Perricootaprincess and showed a touch of class under jockey Joe Bowditch to win by 3½ lengths.
“It was pretty straight-forward,” Bowditch said post-race.
“We sat outside the leader and controlled the race.
“He did have a good look (around) and he’s felt better on top of the ground, but he got through it.”
The win was the first at start four for Crystalaa, who is trained at Flemington by Mathew Ellerton.
Mark down local gallopers Gala Diamond and Mutsuhito in your blackbooks.
Gala Diamond was given a great ride from Jake Duffy and finished fourth for the Mick Cornish and Donna Gaskin team.
The Gwenda Johnstone-trained Mutsuhito had little luck in the run from his wide draw, but stuck to the task solidly to finish fifth, beaten 4.9 lengths.
From Group 1 win to Echuca success
Less than 24 hours after he took out the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap at Flemington, Dean Holland was in Echuca riding a winner.
Holland partnered Whozyadeeler to victory for Bendigo trainer Matthew Enright in the Rosy Fox Benchmark 64 Handicap (1400m).
“It was a really tough effort,” Holland said.
“Matt said to just try to get the horse to switch off early and our best option was to be on the worst part of the track and follow the best horse.”
Enright was rapt with the performance.
“The winning formula was the rain and when I was driving up (today) I couldn’t believe my luck,” he said.
“I’m the majority shareholder (of the horse) and had a little wager when the rain came.”
The win was the third from 15 starts for the son of Dundeel.
Paddy foils plunge
Trainer Patrick Payne and apprentice jockey Tom Prebble combined to win the final race of the program, the bet365 Top Tote Plus Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m).
Bold Hoi Ho led and outlasted a late burst from the Gwenda Johnstone-trained Impending Shadow by the narrowest of margins.
All honours were with the four-year-old son of Niagara, who led and stuck to the rail for the third win of his six-start career.
Prebble was delighted to claim a winner on Echuca Cup day.
“Patrick said to take the lead if it was there and he had a nice free-rolling run in front,” he said.
“He was really travelling on the bridle and quickened nicely. He was a bit tired at the end, but did enough.”
Impending Shadow rattled home, but missed out by a nose on delivering the Johnstone stable a cup day treble.
Some plaudits
Well done to all participants who, after the delayed start to the meeting with the thunderstorms, made up a tremendous amount of time.
From us at The Riv, thanks for being done by 5.45pm, allowing us to get all the Echuca Cup coverage done by deadline.
Also, best of luck to long-time Echuca Racing Club employee Rachael Shandley, who had her final meeting on cup day.
She will be sadly missed by the ERC team.
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