One Down, One To Go At Williams
ØWith just two meetings on offer at Williams, Sunday saw part one unfold with eight races on the card at the small rural circuit.
The first got under way at 1.55pm and went the way of first timer Gregorian Chant for trainer and driver Donald Harper. Only the six lined up in the three-year-old Westbred maiden event, which saw Gregorian Chant find the front from barrier two, leading all the way over the 2277m trip to win by six metres.
After settling mid field in the second, All Aussie Mach made it two wins from his last three starts for Boyanup based trainer Dennis Roche after coming from behind to win narrowly by a half head. Driven by Kyle Symington, the five-year-old who took 23 starts to win his maiden has since gone on to win four races in the past 12 starts.
After taking out the Busselton Cup Consolation just three weeks ago, Libba Racy didn’t take too long between drinks, taking out race three on the card for Reg Phillips and Trent Wheeler. After finding the lead early, Wheeler surrendered the lead to Phillips other runner Caulonia Arty but with just under a lap to go, he was pulled off the pegs, going on to win by 2.3m.
The Woodworth family took $1500 and have since turned it into two wins and two placings from just five starts with their newcomer, Snorkel. The five-year-old started from barrier one on the front marker in the stand, where he stepped faultlessly, managing to lead all the way for Jason Woodworth and face Hayden Hancock the first leg of his driving double on the day.
Admiral Darcy returned from a lengthy spell just last month and returned to the winner’s circle just three starts back, giving Ivan Miles and Aldo Cortopassi the win in race five. After winning two in a row with Admiral Darcy in late 2020, Miles’ other horse Thunder Jolt sadly sustained a tendon injury, and with the downs of racing, he lost interest for six-eight months before deciding to put the now five-year-old back in to work.”
“It’s always a great day out at Williams. They have a big crowd on course and their trophies are always great. This year we won an esky and thermos, I just want to say a big thank you to the club.” Miles said.
Shehadi broke through for her maiden win on Sunday at her 21st start, with the Westbred mare now racking up over $20,000 in stakes and bonuses for her connections. With 10 placings next to her name, the four-year-old was paying a generous $4.20 on TABTouch fixed odds, and with the leader galloping not too far from home, she was able to miss any trouble, sailing home to win by a comfortable 11.2m margin for Luke Edwards and Hayden Hancock.
Shane De Campo trained the winner in the seventh on the card with Cloudy Reactor leading all the way over the 2277m journey. Giving De Campo his second win as a trainer and bringing up the mares third career victory, the four-year-old mare was never in danger, spacing the field by 31.8m at the finish in the small six horse field due to two late scratchings.
Struggling to find form of late, Sunny Mach appreciated the drop back in class this week and lined up as the $1.70 favourite in the last race at Williams. The five-year-old more than justified the short starting price with a winning margin of 27.4m for trainer Michael Munro and driver Shannon Suvaljko and brought up the horses seventh career win in 49 starts.
Ashleigh Paikos