Danny Frye will have an eye on each of the islands on Saturday, with the Balcairn trainer set to be represented at both Trentham and Wingatui.
Frye is heading north to Trentham with Our Echo, who will tackle the Gr.3 Dixon & Dunlop Anniversary (1600m) ahead of a potential tilt at the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) a week later.
“He has earned his shot to have a go at the big league. Hopefully he might get every chance on Saturday to let us know how well he is going,” Frye said.
The stakes performer heads into Saturday off the back of a fifth placing in the Timaru Heritage Cup (1600m) but Frye said he wasn’t suited by the track conditions.
“Initially I was quite disappointed. With his gate speed, Tina (Comignaghi) had no option but to go forward. She was more than adamant that the track was off on the inside, which took its toll in the last 100m,” Frye said.
“He is a hard and fast horse, he can consistently run times, but he needs a good track to run times.”
Our Echo has competed over a mile on just five occasions, placing in the Listed Easter Cup (1600m), and Frye is hoping he can break his winning drought over the distance this weekend.
“One question mark with him is 1600m. He races like he will find 1600m no problem, but he has yet to produce,” he said.
“But he is fit and well and ready to go. My jockey (Tegan Newman) knows the horse like the back of her hand. We are not going up there for practice on Saturday, that is for sure.”
The elite-level target of the Throndon Mile awaits Our Echo, however, Frye said the son of Echoes Of Heaven will need to prove he is up to the challenge this weekend.
“As long as we think he is going to be competitive enough in the Thorndon, he will head that way,” he said.
“We just want to see him get every chance on Saturday. I couldn’t be any happier with the horse.”
Our Echo was set to be joined by stablemate Deceptio Visus on the float trip north, however, Frye has elected to head to Wingatui on Saturday with the eight-year-old gelding to contest the Brent Lucas Builders (1400m) instead.
“Deceptio Visus is better placed on got a better barrier draw at Wingatui, and he will be more than competitive,” Frye said.
“Tina (Comignaghi) has decided to stick with the horse, and she is very much in demand, so that fills you with confidence.
“He is a lovely, big horse and he should be a nice show down there.”