Objection to Echo Way

Press, 26 September 1989, Page 33

Objection to Echo Way

The . Riccarton trainer, Roydon Bergerson, had an unusual objection lodged against his charge, Echo Way, after the Prince Echo gelding had won the Couplands Bakeries Maiden at Orari yesterday. ' Echo Way, ridden by Paul Richards, gave Bergerson four wins from five runners at Orari since he shifted south last year. However, Michael Pitman, trainer of the second horse, Amanda

Hall, lodged an objection over the training arrangements concerning Echo Way, which is quartered outside Riccarton when not being worked. Pitman later withdrew the objection, which in any case could not have been considered on the day by the judicial committee. The case is likely to be the subject of further official inquiries. Echo Way is a halfbrother to Isle Of Arran and raced on lease after

originally being brought south by the former Riccarton trainer; Murray McPhie.

Had the objection resulted in any change, the position would have been complicated as Amanda Hall, part-owned by race sponsor, Ray Coupland, ran greenly in the straight and appeared to hamper the winner.

The result was some consolation to Richards who lost the ride on Prince Kumai late last week.

The Echo Way case followed two other complaints during the day concerning horses entered for events. One resulted in the late scratching of Sky Kingdom, which had not been deemed to have qualified to race under the rules. Sky Kingdom’s part-owner Kevin Jenning’s licence had not been issued the required period. The horse was previously with Graeme Rae.

No action was required on the other case.