Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Southern sprinter Our Echo (Echoes Of Heaven) showed his northern rivals just how good he can be when he sat wide throughout before holding off a host of challenges to win Saturday’s Listed Lincoln Farms Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham.
Prepared by Danny Frye at Balcairn, the seven-year-old came into the race off a last start victory at Wingatui which gave him a vital confidence boost leading into the contest.
Rider Tegan Newman followed instructions to the letter by allowing the son of Echoes Of Heaven to travel on his own terms, not afraid to sit four-wide for most of the race before joining issue at the 400m.
Left a sitting duck in front he fought like a tiger to defy his challengers, holding off Is That So and Imwonderfultonight to secure his sixth career victory, with that tally including a win at the same venue back in January 2022.
Frye was all smiles as he spoke about a change in tactics that had helped his charge turn his form around.
“He hasn’t had the rub of the green this time around as we brought him here earlier thinking we might get a 1400m or mile with him, but he didn’t have a lot of luck,” Frye said.
“We switched him back to 1200m and he has been on fire.
“He’s a good horse, who can run good times but he needs a decent track.
“When the barrier draw came out for today we were pretty keen (on his chances).”
Newman admitted the ride didn’t look very pretty but was the way the horse liked to be handled.
“He jumped away quite well but Danny said to me you can’t pull him back if he jumps, just let him roll,” she said.
“You have to let him do it on his terms and when I saw Mercurial on my inside I knew I had him covered and he (Our Echo) has kicked really well.
“I think his last start win was a real confidence booster and he is quite an underrated galloper.
“When I presented him he wanted to go and he won really well.”
Our Echo is a son of the Yamanin Vital mare Sakura Cluden, a full sister to Gr.1 Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Cluden Creek and from an extended family that includes former top quality southern gallopers Simon Snorkel and The Blonde Bimbo.
The win took his career record to six wins and 14 placings from 37 starts with just over $210,000 in prizemoney for his connections.
