Wet conditions were the order of the day for participants at the Echuca races on Thursday.
Despite persistent showers falling, the track, which was rated a Heavy 9 throughout the meeting, proved the real hero of the day, as all eight races were run and won.
Mark the talented Storm King in your blackbooks after the precocious three-year-old lived up to expectations in the Northern Hire Group Benchmark 64 Handicap (2100m).
Sent out the $1.40 favourite on the back of consecutive runner-up placings at metropolitan level, Storm King controlled proceedings on speed and despite Dancing Duck looming as a threat early in the home straight, kicked strongly late to score by 2¾ lengths.
Trainer Ben Brisbourne said it was a good confidence booster for the son of Complacent, who took his record to three wins from 10 starts with talented apprentice jockey Hannah Edgley in the saddle.
“It is still his first preparation and he’s an inexperienced horse,” Brisbourne said.
“I wanted him to come out here (today) and win again, he’s done it now and all being well, we’ll take him to Caulfield and see where he is at.”
Storm King will not be the only horse heading to town for their next start.
Fellow three-year-olds Anahita and Hyacinth produced performances that illustrate they are destined for bigger things.
Anahita ($6.50) enjoyed a winning debut in the EDG Space 3yo Fillies Maiden Plate (1100m).
Jockey Daniel Stackhouse reported the daughter of Shalaa did her best work late to beat Gwenda Johnstone’s hometown hope Tapo ($16) by a long-head.
“I always felt she was going to pick them up and her last furlong was pretty good,” he said.
Stackhouse will be hoping Anahita follows in the footsteps of Ferlax, a horse he rode to victory in an Echuca maiden, who later won at Group One level.
Not too often a Godolphin horse wins at $26, but that was the case with Hyacinth, the victor of the Hygain Maiden Plate (1400m).
A daughter of Tavistock, Hyacinth finished seventh on debut at Echuca over 1200m on July 29, but relished the step up in trip to the seven furlongs.
With Michael Dee in the saddle, Hyacinth really savaged the line in a performance that demonstrated she will get better over further.
Hyacinth proved the first leg of a winning double for Dee, who partnered El Salto ($3.70) to success in The Caledonian Benchmark 64 Handicap (1000m).
The speedster sure has a liking for Echuca, with Thursday’s win his third from as many appearances at the border venue.
Nasdana defied a betting drift before winning the Perricoota Station Maiden Plate (1200m).
Trained by Mathew Ellerton, Nasdana ($6 to $9) revelled in the heavy conditions to beat Just A Theory by a half-length.
Always Hapi ($5.50) sent trainer Vincent Malady and jockey Lewis German home happy after winning the Moama Bowling Club Rating 64 Handicap (1400m).
The son of American Pharoah, who is still an entire, ploughed through the conditions to beat Polly’s Deficit by two lengths.