Echoes Of Heaven is improving after a bout of colitis

After a horribly disappointing Brisbane Winter Carnival Mick Price says Echoes Of Heaven is back in the paddock and will remain there until he is satisfied the horse is back to absolute fitness.

The signs are good though for the colt which appears to be making steady progress from a bout of colitis.

In fact Price is already tentatively having a look at the Sandown Classic late in the spring as a target event.

Echoes Of Heaven was fifth to Turnitup in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at Doomben at the end of May but his campaign was cut short immediately after when the sometimes terminal disease was discovered.

There were big expectations for the horse which went to Queensland after running second to Shadows In The Sun over 2500m in the South Australian Derby.

Price says the horse was in horrible shape immediately after the Grand Prix Stakes and he lost a mountain of body weight.

“He probably lost 60 kilos,” Price said.

He said he saw enough at Doomben to suggest he would have excelled over the road at Eagle Farm.

“I was so looking forward to the Queensland Derby with him.,” Price said.

“I know the Grand Prix form didn’t stack up in the Derby but he’s a big-track horse and would have been suited by the 2400 metres.

“I think by the time I repair him he might end up in the Sandown Classic because I’ll run out of time for those (major spring) races.”

The three-year-old is well bred and has shown plenty of potential however it’s not yet known how this may affect his career later down the track.