Excellent Effort by Echezeaux

Fresh up winner Echezeaux (5 m Encosta De Lago - Grand Echezeaux, by Zabeel) showed that she certainly knows where the winning post is when taking out the $30,000 Hanley Formula Premier Rating 75 1600 metres on Saturday at Trentham.

Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela, Echezeaux, who had commenced her campaign with a terrific win in the Rating 70 1600 metres on 2 November at Avondale, enabled trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards to top and tail the programme after Royal Success (Savabeel) overcame adversity to win the first race.

Under an excellent ride by two time premiership winner Matt Cameron, Echezeaux was presented out of midfield rounding the home turn and it took the entire length of the straight, and some late vigour by the jockey, for her to gain a narrow advantage near the line.

Notching her fourth win from only nine starts, Echezeaux ran the 1600 metres in 1:36.6 and after returning $9.30 & $2.50 at Avondale, she again paid handsomely: $7.90 & $2.30.

“Matt Cameron really threw her over the line,” said David Ellis, adding, isn't he strong in a tight finish?

“It's terrific to win another race for Sir Peter Vela, one of New Zealand's leading breeders, and I was thrilled for him to win on a Group One day.

“Matt said that she (Echezeaux) was his best bet of the weekend. He was spot on and the team was really confident that she would race very well."

Ellis and Te Akau have experienced tremendous success buying young horses that carry the ‘V in a box' brand of Sir Peter Vela and his thoroughbred nursery Pencarrow Stud, especially from the blue hen mare Grand Echezeaux.

“I've bought three colts out of that mare and they're all standing at stud,” said Ellis, of Burgundy (Redoute's Choice), Darci Brahma (Danehill), and Saperavi (Stravinsky).

“We've had huge success with horses carrying his brand. We've had a New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, won the 1000 Guineas, 2000 Guineas, had Champion Two-Year-Old, Champion Three-Year-Old, Champion Four-Year-Old, it just doesn't stop.

“It's an unbelievable family that just keeps winning races and this mare looks as though she could win black type, and be even better next season."

Ellis reflected on the team of five that went to Trentham, saying: “Even though we only won two races, they all went super, all weighed in, and all bar one paid a dividend.

“And I was thrilled for the team to get the results, because they are all working so hard and it's great to see in racing that the people that put the work in get the results.

Echezeaux was strapped by Teina Walters.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz