Please see below for our #BlackBook runner comments for Monday, 2 August 2021. The runner's highlighted are our #BlackBook runners (the key runners of focus), while those included in the 'other' section of each race are additional runner's that have jumped out well enough to be worth noting. All NSW #BlackBook runners are 'other' runners.
ECHUCA - Race 1
#3 DECENT RAINE (14) - C Maher & D Eustace
With the undefeated La Rocque 4L back in 2nd, DECENT RAINE has put in a super performance to win Heat 10 on Jul 7. She jumped beautifully here, took up the lead and then gave a kick in the straight to show her class. Mingora was too good for her late in a Jun 22 jump out, with that runner starting $2 on debut but finishing a disappointing 6th. She looked super and can win a maiden first up.
Scratched from Moonee Valley on Saturday to run here.
Scratchings leave this race very thin. DECENT RAINE is going to be very hard to beat, but she's very well found in the market. Helps that La Rocque came out and ran a nice 5th at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
ECHUCA - Race 3
#3 PEREGRINUS (4) - B & JD Hayes
PEREGRINUS has been gelded and it looks to have switched him on. He only had the 1 placing in 5 starts as a colt, returning now as a gelding with two jump outs win. He backed up his nice Jul 6 win (on a really Heavy track) with a 3L win in Heat 7 on Jul 12 where he did it with ease. He looks to have a nice turn of foot and he looks to be putting it together now as a gelding, hopefully this translates to raceday where we will follow.
Hard to beat here first up as a gelding. Query is the track.
ECHUCA - Race 4
#2 DEEL BLASTER (3) - M Laurie
Was a fan of DEEL BLASTER last preparation as a colt, featuring in our review where we noted he was a half-brother to Bumper Blast. He was unlucky on debut before going to QLD where he wasn’t anything special. He returns to VIC now as a gelding and after his ‘track gallop’ jump out on Jun 24, his win on Heat 12 on Jul 7 was super and the bit of work we wanted to see to be confident he’s return in good order. Following, think he is better than maiden grade at the very least.
Was no match for The Garden first up, with that runner since running 3rd at Caulfield in a 3YO HCP race. He actually ran a better overall L800m, while his L400m was only 0.21s slower than The Garden and L200m only 0.16s slower.
Will appreciate the step up now to 1400m, a distance his half-brother Bumper Blast enjoyed. Has handled the heavy in all his starts on it, hard to beat.