By Chris Roots
Adam Hyeronimus has wanted to win the Carrington Stakes since he was a kid, and one of his favourite horses, Ecuador, got the job done for him on Saturday.
Like his first-up win in December, Ecuador sat off the speed and sprinted to victory, holding off Shiraz late, and could be heading for bigger targets.
On a mission: Adam Hyeronimus rides Equador to win theCarrington Stakes.Credit: bradleyphotos.com.au
But this win meant more to Hyeronimus because his father Craig won the Carrington on Young Blood in 1984.
"Dad didn't win many stakes races and I always knew this was a race he had won," Hyeronimus said. "That makes a bit more special because it has been a race I have wanted to win all my life.
"I came here on a bit of a mission."
The Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott stable have always held a good opinion of Ecuador, but as a seven-year-old he might be racing in the best form of his career.
He has been placed at group1 level when runner-up to Winx in the Epsom Handicap a couple of years ago. He chalked up his 10th win and fifth for Hyeronimus, who has built a great association with him.
"He is a horse that really goes well for me and I have had a lot of success on," Hyeronimus said. "He has really come back in great shape and I would say this is the best he has raced, which you can't say about many seven-year-olds.
"He is a brilliant miler but at the moment he is loving 1400 metres. He is really sharp."
Bott was not ruling anything out with Ecuador after the win and Sydney and Melbourne are both in play.
A similar preparation to this could see him run in the Orr Stakes at Caulfield on February 11, the first group1 of the year.
"We might have to up our sights over the autumn now," Bott said. "Last campaign he had some good form around listed and group 3 races but hopefully this time around with the right placement, we'll be able to win a nice race with him."
"He is doing it tough, carrying the weight and running strong through the line. He is a happy horse."
Meanwhile, apprentice Nick Heywood celebrated his 21st birthday by scoring on Got Unders in a tight finish to the Huawei Handicap.
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