Lady Echelon looking for a change of luck in Recognition Stakes

Sunshine Coast trainer Natalie McCall is looking for a change of luck with Lady Echelon in the Listed $100,000 Tattersall’s Recognition Stakes (1630m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Lady Echelon will be looking for a change of luck in the Recognition Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Lady Echelon will be looking for a change of luck in the Recognition Stakes at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Lady Echelon returns from Melbourne without an impressive report card from two starts but McCall is adamant that the grey mare should have won her last start at Flemington when ridden by Mark Zahara.

The Top Echelon mare was badly held up for a run from the home turn to the 100m mark when three and three quarter lengths seventh to Secret Toy Bizness in the $100,000 Apia Celebrating Greys Challenge (1400m) on November 6.

“To say she was unlucky was a bit of an understatement. I thought she should have won and so did the jockey,” McCall told AAP.

“But you can’t change things in the past.”

McCall also has good reason to feel confident going into Saturday’s race with the Greys Challenge runner up Time To Plunder from the stables of Eagle Farm trainer Liam Birchely winning at his next start in the Listed $100,000 Brisclean Keith Noud Handicap (1200m) at Doomben on November 22 when he returned to Brisbane.

“At least we got a good line through the form from the run because Liam’s horse Time To Plunder was second in the greys race,” McCall said.

“Time to Plunder came back to Brisbane last Saturday and won very well.”

And McCall also dismissed her run in the Group 3 $150,000 Nine West Ladies Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield on October 15 when she finished at the tail of the sixteen horse field and is listed as being beaten eighteen and a half lengths.

“She was beaten long way at Caulfield after the jockey virtually sat up on her in the straight,” McCall said.

“We raced her straight around to the vet to be scoped and checked over. He asked us which race she had been in.”

“When we told him the race just gone he was surprised to say the least as there was nothing wrong with her.”

Lady Echelon had drawn barrier seven in the fourteen horse Recognition Stakes field with Jeff Lloyd taking the ride.

And McCall won’t be concerned if the forecast showers arrive in Brisbane before the weekend with Lady Echelon’s record showing two wins on the a dead track, a win on the slow and two on the heavy.

“We’ve had some rain and more is predicted so that won’t be worrying us. She handles up to heavy but the sting out of the ground is a help for her,” McCall said.

The topweight Mouro is not likely to come to Doomben after drawing barrier thirteen with trainer Tony McEvoy leaning to a start in the Listed $100,000 Festival Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

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.