Murray Bridge trainer Mick Huxtable is hoping a good barrier will assist smart mare Ecumenical in Wednesday’s Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m) at Caulfield.
Ecumenical will jump from barrier two tomorrow, and finished second behind Annavisto at Caulfield two starts back. In her last start, she was forced to do the chasing behind a breakneck speed when beaten 4.3 lengths by Tasmanian mare Still A Star in the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes last time out at Flemington.
“She’s going well,’’ Huxtable said.
“I think they’ll settle a bit better in this race and the speed won’t be as strong as the other day which will suit her,’’ he said.
Huxtable will have a two-pronged attack on his hometown feature in Friday’s $107,250 Murray Bridge Gold Cup (1600m).
Talented miler Ritratto will be hoping to turn around a disappointing Morphettville run after kicking off his campaign running second in the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes, while Perfect Route was a good Morphettville winner first-up from a spell before being placed behind Sign Of Ussuri last time out.
“Coming back a bit in trip the other day just didn’t suit him (Ritratto),’’ Huxtable said.
“The blinkers go back on him now.
“And Perfect Route has been good in both runs back, his run the other day was good,’’ he said.
