Echelon captured a well-deserved first group I win when she easily drew off from the field to capture the Coolmore Fusaichi Pegasus Matron Stakes (Ire-I) at Leopardstown Sept. 8.
The Cheveley Park homebred was coming off a sharp win in the totesport.com Celebration Mile (Eng-II) at Goodwood last month. That victory was the deciding factor that led to her connections supplementing her to the Matron field at a cost of 25,000 euros.
Jockey Ryan Moore kept Echelon in third throughout the early stages, just behind the leaders Eastern Appeal and Arch Swing. Last year’s Matron winner, Red Evie, ran just behind Echelon in fourth.
Moore moved Echelon to the front as the field entered the straightaway. Jamie Spencer attempted to close the gap aboard Red Evie, but get no closer than 1 1/2 lengths.
Eastern Appeal and Arch Swing continued to battle it out for third, with Eastern Appeal winning the fight. She was demoted to fourth, however, for interference with Arch Swing in the stretch.
Time for the eight furlongs was 1:39.5 over the good-to-firm turf.
After the race, winning trainer Sir Michael Stoute said, “She should have been entered in this race in the first place, but she ran badly in Ireland in the Pretty Polly (Ire-I), so we didn’t want to go back to Ireland. But after she won so well at Goodwood last time, and came out of her race so well, we had to come back and have a shot.”
Echelon is a 5-year-old daughter of Danehill, out of Exclusive by Polar Falcon. She is a half-sister to multiple group II-winning filly, Chic.
