The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Ecuador made modern-day history at Royal Randwick over the weekend setting a new weight-carrying record with his 2017 Carrington Stakes success.

Ecuador carried a hefty weight to victory in the 2017 Carrington Stakes ahead of tougher autumn racing targets. Photo: Steve Hart.

The in-form High Chaparral seven-year-old made it two wins on the trot this summer when he and jockey Adam Hyeronimus combined on a hefty 61kg to take out Saturday’s $150,000 Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m).

The veteran galloper came off a first-up win on 62kg at Rosehill in the December Handicap and again made light work of his big kilos on the weekend to win the Carrington by one and a quarter lengths over Shiraz with the promising Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Gold Symphony two lengths back in third.

The Carrington Stakes result saw the winner Ecuador carry the most weight to victory in the modern era and the last to do it with more kilos was Zambarie with 61.5kg back in 1973.

It was also a milestone victory for 26-year-old Hyeronimus whose father Craig won the race back in 1984 aboard Young Blood.

“He has been one of the biggest influences in my career and it means a lot to win a stakes race that my father won during his riding career,” Hyeronimus told the media after posting his 28^th win for the 2016-17 season to date.

“I only became a jockey to be like him.”

Hyeronimus was impressed once again with the winning effort of Ecuador – a galloper he has now guided to five victories – and believes he only continues to improve each run despite being a rising eight-year-old.

“He was in good form last preparation but this time in he has come back better than ever,” he said.

“His work has been sensational and his gallop here last Saturday was the best he has ever put in to be honest.

“He has raced against stronger opposition and been competitive but he is carrying big weights now and still winning.”

Co-trainer Waterhouse has now prepared four Carrington Stakes winners having also enjoyed success in the summer event with Time Out (2002), Strada (2007) and No Looking Back (2011).

Trackside on Saturday for the stable was Bott who told The Daily Telegraph that the team would avoid a Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival clash on February 11 back at Randwick with Winx in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m).

Instead Ecuador could be tested in elite level company in Melbourne’s $500,000 Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) on the same day before returning to Caulfield a fortnight later on Blue Diamond Stakes Day (February 25) for the $500,000 Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m).

“Ecuador is doing it tough carrying these weights but he is running strong through the line,” Bott said.

“He showed in his first-up win under 62kg that he was going really well but we wanted to see him do it again today and he has probably gone even better to win again.

“Although he is effective over these shorter trips, he can sustain it up to 2000m but I feel he is a brilliant miler.

“One of his best runs was a second to Winx in an Epsom.”

To back Ecuador next start and to access the best autumn racing odds and offers visit Ladbrokes.com.au today – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).

2017 Carrington Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Randwick Race 7 – 21/01/2017