Kristen Buchanan with lofty aspirations for talented Echo Effect
PUNTERS might be distracted by the likes of Prized Icon and Comin’ Through in Saturday’s Group 2 Hobartville Stakes, but don’t sleep on Echo Effect.
The Kristen Buchanan-trained three-year-old is being thrown in the deep end at Rosehill, but it deserves its place in the field after winning three of its six career starts.
Buchanan understands the challenge presented to the son of Reset this Saturday, but the Wyong-based horsewoman is pleased going into the feature 1400m.
“I am pleased with him going into this race,” Buchanan told horsebetting.com.au. “That being said, he meets some very nice horses and he’s probably his own worst enemy.”
Echo Effect finished third last start at Rosehill behind the talented Royal Navy, but it went too quickly in front and the three weeks in between runs should have it in prime condition ahead of Saturday.
“He came through that well. I thought it was a bit of a gut-busting run,” Buchanan said. “He tends to over-race and Paul (King) bustled him out of the barriers that day and he rolled along very solidly in front.
“He has had three weeks between runs and he has had time to recover.”
The extreme temperatures in Sydney has made racing difficult over the past week, but with showers forecast on Saturday, Buchanan would love some moisture in the surface for Echo Effect.
“He loves the wet, he goes very well in it,” Buchanan said. “It knocks a few of the other chances out so the rain will be welcomed.
“Just cooler weather would be good. We’ve had some really hot days and it’s tough going on the horses racing in those conditions.
“Certainly some moisture will be welcomed.”
Echo Effect has been nominated for the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap in April which Buchanan admitted would be a dream scenario, but the gelding looks a better hope of lining up in the Randwick Guineas on March 4.
“It’s pies in the sky, but it’s crazy if you don’t nominate for it (Doncaster),” Buchanan said. “He’s an incredibly talented horse and I’d kick myself later if I didn’t.
“Realistically he’ll go to the Randwick Guineas if he races well this Saturday. That’s been my major game plan, but with those nominations coming up early, I would be wanting to go there and be competitive, but there’s a lot of steps to take to her there.”
Buchanan also lines up Niccobelle in the Spark Of Life Handicap which attracted a field of only six runners for a stake of $100,000.
The three-year-old gelding was a winner on debut at Wyong in September, but faces a big rise in grade against the likes of Tactical Advantage and Scarlet Rain.
“He’s good and I’m happy with him. It’s obviously a big jump in grade for him, but he’s needed a big roomy track and there’s the small field, so he’s got both of those in his favour,” Buchanan said.
The son of Nicconi will carry only 51kg after the claim of Andrew Adkins and Buchanan could be lining up a start in the Provincial Championships at Randwick in April.
“He’s a horse I’ve been thinking about targetting for the Provincial Championships, so this will give us a gauge on where he’s up to racing against some better quality horses,” she said.
“We’ve booked Andrew Adkins to take him down to 51kg, but given the horses he’s racing against, he doesn’t get in well at the weights. He’s carrying 53kg when he should be carrying 50.5kg.”
Buchanan has another potential top-liner juvenile in the stable with American Moments – an All American filly which scored an impressive front-running trial win at Gosford on Wednesday.
“I’ve got a really nice two-year-old filly by All American that I’m very pleased with,” Buchanan said.
“She’s had two trials now, she’s probably ready to start, but we’ll just see how she pulls up and we’ll make a decision then where we might be headed.”