RELIABLE campaigner Offshore Echo added a feature success to his resume with a dogged victory in the Swan Hill Credit Union St Pat’s Cup (1600m) on Friday.
The seven-year-old, trained by John Thomas at Echuca, outlasted a brave De Mars by a neck in what was a thrilling climax to the Anzac Day feature at Swan Hill.
Offshore Echo ($2.80) provided the first leg of a winning double for jockey Jake Duffy, who teamed up with in-form Benalla horseman Peter Smith to win the day’s final race aboard Themes Choice.
Smith is enjoying a vintage run of form with metropolitan performers Hero Master, Play Master and First Print, and will be looking for better things ahead for Themes Choice, who belied her $13 quote to down Lamartine by a length in the Rating 58 event.
But Duffy would have to share the day’s riding honours with Chris Nicoll after the underrated hoop guided hometown galloper River Lantern and Phantom Eagle to victories.
River Lantern, prepared by Nathan Hobson, broke his maiden status at start number three after edging out Destiny Glow by a head.
Phantom Eagle oozed class when he strolled away from favourite Tycoon Ready by a length and a quarter in the Kennedy’s Showcase Jewellers Rating 58 Handicap (1600m).
The Gwenda Johnstone-trained five-year-old was the third different winner on the program to hail from Echuca, joining Offshore Echo and Distant Century, the victor of the Bakker and Glen Maiden Plate (1600m).
Other winners on the program were the Warracknabeal-trained Vibration (Leslie McDonald/Jacob Rule) and the consistent Monsieur Pierre, who broke through for a third success in 62 starts when he staved off Dane Opera in the Swan Hill Club Rating 58 Handicap (975m).
