Ecuador draws the rails in Carrington Stakes

Top weight Ecuador has drawn the rails in the small seven horse field for the Listed $150,000 Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Ecuador, above, has drawn the rails in the Carrington Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

Ecuador, above, has drawn the rails in the Carrington Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Ecuador drops 1kg to 61kg after carrying 62kg to victory in $100,000 December Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on December 24 and will be ridden again by Adam Hyeronimus.

Hyeronimus has acquired a good association with Ecuador with the pair finding the winner’s stall on four occasions together and co-trainer Adrian Bott had no hesitation in giving the heavy weight jockey the reins again.

“Adam has got a really good association with the horse so we’d much prefer that,” Bott told AAP.

The High Chaparral seven year old was a winner over 2400m during the Winter in the Listed $100,000 W J McKell Cup at Randwick but Bott wasn’t surprised that he sprinted well first up in the December Handicap.

“We know he goes well fresh but we were particularly pleased with the way he’s come back this preparation,” Bott said.

“We were originally hoping to have him back up and going for a race like the Villiers.

“He just took a little bit longer to come to hand being an older horse.”

Second top weight Ninth Legion with 58kg has drawn next to Ecuador in barrier two and has Blake Shinn in the saddle taking over from Damian Browne who was aboard when the seven year old ran second to Most Important in the $150,000 Buffering Quality Handicap (1300m) at Eagle Farm on December 31.

Last start winner Gold Symphony has drawn barrier four while stablemate Princefamous is one inside of him at three.

Gold Symphony found the winner’s stall for the first time in just under eighteen months last start when he handled the wet conditions the best as the outsider of the four horse field when he beat Imposing Lass, Song and Laughter and Girl Sunday in the BenchMark 92 Handicap (1400m) at Warwick Farm on January 7.

Gold Symphony could get the benefit of another wet track on Saturday with the Bureau Of Meteorology forecasting showers in Sydney in the lead up to the weekend.

The Kim Waugh trained Shiraz drew the outside barrier in the seven horse field and is struggling to find good form coming off a last start ninth to Le Cordon Bleu in the Listed $150,000 Canterbury Classic (1200m) at Canterbury on December 31.

Tye Angland rides Shiraz while Tommy Berry takes over from Blake Shinn on stablemate Oxford Poet who drew barrier five.

Oxford Poet will strip fitter following his first up third to Dal Cielo in the $100,000 Summer Sprint at Warwick Farm on January 7.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.