By Jonny Turner
After being the toast of the south just six days ago, Matthew Williamson and Brett Gray will be out to add to their success at Gore today.
Williamson and Gray combined to produce Miki’s Deal for a stunning win in the Group 2 Caduceus Club Ladyship Stakes at Alexandra Park last week.
The filly raced three wide and parked for the entirety of the feature event in what was a tenacious effort in her first start in the north.
Williamson is hoping for a little more luck in running with his chances at Gore on Thursday after he and Miki’s Deal were handed no favours from their barrier 8 draw last week.
“It was a bit ugly, but the filly was outstanding – she dug in and showed how good she is.”
“Hopefully, we don’t have to do quite as much work on Thursday, they don’t all have the motor she does.”
Williamson and Gray link up with one runner on Thursday in Haley Jaccka, who starts in a heat of the Southern Belle Speed Series.
The mare brings a mixture of form to a race she measures up well in.
“She’s raced in harder mares races than that so she should be a handy chance if we get any luck from the draw (7),” Williamson said.
Williamson lines up four horses from his own stable on Thursday, including first starter The Dancer.
The filly is set to start favourite after impressing in her recent trials.
“She is a handy filly with a good future,” Williamson said.
“I have been really happy with her trials and if she can handle everything with it being her first start, she should be a nice chance.”
Pyramid Rose looks another key chance for the Williamson stable on Thursday.
The mare is one-from-one at Gore, having won there in December.
“It’s a suitable race for her with the handicaps but manners will be key.”
“She can do things wrong like she did last start, but if she does everything right she should be right in it.”
Williamson also links up with Always Dreaming for his brother Nathan in Thursday’s Hunter Handicap.
After producing excellent form in recent cup races, the pacer looks well placed for another good effort.
“He’s in great form and he’s got good manners, Nath has made a few wee changes with him and he should be a good each way chance.”
The Gray stable lines up a team of eight at Gore with plenty of each-way chances among them.
Havtimewillfly will step up in grade in Thursday’s finale following a powerful last start win at Ascot Park.
Williamson looking forward to race-day return
By Jonny Turner
It’s just like riding a bike.
That is the approach Nathan Williamson is taking to the resumption of his driving career at Gore on Thursday.
After passing all of his medical tests with flying colours, Williamson was back at the workouts last week for the first time since his shocking spill at Alexandra Park in December.
From the sidelines, it looked like the leading southern trainer-driver had barely been out of the cart.
Williamson confirmed that it very much felt that way.
“To be honest, it was great just to be out there doing it again.”
“Probably the only thing was I wasn’t using my own helmet, which felt a bit different, but as far as everything else went it was pretty much just another day at the workouts.”
Williamson has eight drives confirmed for the Wyndham Harness Racing Club’s meeting at Gore on Thursday.
The reinsman wasn’t keen on a full book for his return and is happy with what he is calling a manageable number.
While there is plenty of chatter among his peers and harness racing fans about his return, including some commentary on how quickly he is making it back from such a serious incident, Williamson himself is taking a low-key approach.
“There is a lot of interest in Thursday and it has been pretty humbling all of the messages and support we have had all the way through.”
“I have been feeling really good and really, I am just focusing on getting out there and getting back into it without getting too caught up in the build-up.”
“All of the medical people I’ve been dealing with have all told me these things affect everyone differently
“Things were serious in the beginning, but I am lucky that I haven’t had the issues that many people have to worry about.”
“I am hoping that once we get underway on Thursday it will be just another day at the races and I can’t see why it won’t be.”
There is a touch of irony about who Williamson rates his best winning chance on Thursday.
While he has been sidelined, brother Matthew has taken the reins behind Always Dreaming and the pair will be out to continue their great combination.
With race fitness on his side, the pacer looks as good as any winning chance from Williamson’s strong team of six.
“He’s been going great and he’s had the racing, whereas most of my ones at Gore are having their first runs back.”
“He’s got good manners, he’s going well and he should run a nice race.”
Williamson is using the same logic when assessing the best hope among the horses he is driving.
“Rise Up N Dance has been in good form and he’s freshened up nicely since his last run at Cromwell.”
“We have a nice team in and I expect them to run well, but he is one that’s had racing and should be right there from his good draw.”
Williamson takes two outside drives on Thursday, both for the Brett Gray stable.
The driver’s last win came in Gray’s colours with Flashpoint at Wingatui on December 7.
