Apprentice jockey Tom Sadler and South Australian trainer Stuart Gower combined to win Sunday's $70,000 Moama RSL Echuca Cup (1400m) with five-year-old gelding Dubawi Gold.The second country cup for Sadler in less than six months after he partnered Prizum to win the Bairnsdale Cup for his father John in October, Sadler said he was thrilled to have captured the victory."I've been going a little bit rough so I couldn't believe that I'd just won the Echuca Cup," Sadler said."It's a b

Apprentice jockey Tom Sadler and South Australian trainer Stuart Gower combined to win Sunday's $70,000 Moama RSL Echuca Cup (1400m) with five-year-old gelding Dubawi Gold.

The second country cup for Sadler in less than six months after he partnered Prizum to win the Bairnsdale Cup for his father John in October, Sadler said he was thrilled to have captured the victory.

"I've been going a little bit rough so I couldn't believe that I'd just won the Echuca Cup," Sadler said.

"It's a big thrill to win it for a great bunch of owners and it was a really good performance by the horse.

"I knew that he was really comfortable where he was in the run and as soon as I got into that rolling momentum to the corner and he wasn't dropping the bridle I became really confident."

First out of the barriers, Sadler settled Dubawi Gold ($6) in a three-wide position on the speed early before allowing the gelding to stride forward and find the front, racing half a length ahead of Two Hills ($13) on his inside.

After quickly sprinting clear of Two Hills in the home straight, Sadler allowed his mount to roll back to the fence where he first had to fight off the challenge of Population ($4.60), who got within a neck at the 200 metre mark, before then holding off the late challenge of favourite Hotham Heights ($3.40F) to win by a length on the line.

Population faded on his run to finish in third position a head away from Hotham Heights with Manhatten Maid ($4.20) two lengths away from the winner in fourth.

The victory was the fourth in 21 starts for the son of Dubawi, taking his career prize money to over $175,000.