Echuca trainers feature in seven of the 10 fields, and have surely planned it to a tee, where none are going head-to-head.
Following its transferred meeting at the track on October 1, which saw rain turn the course to a Heavy 9 by the end of the day, the club has its surface back up for a Good 4 for Monday with the weather forecast mostly sunny.
Michael Cornish and Donna Gaskin’s stable will take in a trio of chances, with Choralist kicking things off in the second race of the day, the $25,000 Maiden Plate over 1209 m.
In what should be her 10th career start and fourth under the Cornish-Gaskin stable, the four-year-old is coming in with two thirds in her first two starts for the stable, though was off the pace by six lengths to finish sixth in her last start at Swan Hill on September 27.
Fellow mare Sandover is still looking like a work in progress for the stable and will go in an outside shot in the third race on the card, the Fillies and Mares Maiden Plate over 1618 m, opening at $151.
The four-year-old hasn’t done better than sixth in the first four races of her career.
Cape Mount is back at his home track for his first run of the 2021-22 season following a 17-week spell.
A respectable finish at Sandown in May with a jump in class was followed by a disappointing finish to a BM64 over 2400 m at Swan Hill the following month.
Second at the 400 m, Cape Mount was eased down over the final 200 m to finish at the back of the pack after jockey Craig Newitt reported the gelding felt uncomfortable in his actions.
Cape Mount returns for his first up race with another drop in rating and distance in the BM58 Handicap over 1412 m.
Trainer Jim Lake will be hoping Honorellay backs up well when he lines up in the BM64 Handicap over 1009 m.
The six-year-old is well-tried with six wins from 38 starts, and is coming off a first-up win at Swan Hill on September 27 but will need to deal with the step up in class after previously saluting in the BM58.
Daryl Archard will be kept busy for back-to-back races when Court Painter and Dente run races four and five.
Court Painter is looking to break a lengthy drought in Monday’s Maiden Plate over 2124 m, with the gelding aiming for his first win in career start 31.
The six-year-old has been relegated to second on three occasions, most recently at Donald on September 12 by a narrow 0.2 lengths.
His last race at Mildura on October 4 was an ordinary effort though, following an awkward start where he lost ground.
Dente on the other hand is going for win number three in the BM58 Handicap over 2124 m.
However, she will be hoping to put a sub-standard September behind her with a slight drop in distance at Echuca.
The six-year-old went up in rating at Swan Hill on September 10 but couldn’t get close, and finished stronger in her second race there two and half weeks later, though still featured outside the placings in the BM58 Handicap over 2400 m.
Gwenda Johnstone will be looking for one of her first wins of the new season with Was Written lining up in the BM58 Handicap over 1209 m.
Monday’s race will be the mare’s second in this latest preparation after racing at Swan Hill on September 27 to finish seventh from 12.
It will be her 13th career start, with her last win coming back in February.
The first race starts Monday at 12.30 pm.
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