Nathan Williamson is associated a collection of winning chances at Ascot Park on Saturday and looks the trainer and driver to follow when the Riverton Club stages its one meeting of the year.
In the first, the Beachhouse Cafe Bar Maiden Trot, Williamson takes the reins of Eagle Galleon, a trotter he developed before passing on to Robert Wilson at Balfour. Eagle Galleon qualified for Williamson in May last year, running second beaten five and a half lengths by Art Bloxham's Eton Dorney. The pair meet again today with Eton Dorney, bred by Williamson's mother Bev, on debut.
Williamson drove Eagle Galleon on debut at Invercargill in September and the pair finished second, beaten a length. Subsequent starts have yielded close-up thirds at Gore and Forbury Park.
“He's a nice enough horse, all his runs have been pretty good, he'll be more than competitive.” Williamson said.
Dark Horse was well supported when resuming at Gore but let the side down by failing to trot away. The four year old represents the stable in race three, the W R Keast Memorial for C1 trotters, Williamson takes the reins himself, and is confident there will be no repeat.
“She's bombproof at home, off the unruly in a small field, I've got no worries about her manners,” he said. “She is a nice horse and has been working well.”
Race four is the Carrier Arms Hotel / Todd & Co Realty Mobile 2200 and the five year old Tour Director, co-owned by Williamson's wife Katie, will race for the first time since January 2015. The Art Major gelding's only win was as a two year old at Forbury Park in March 2014 but Williamson is not about to dismiss his chances.
Tour Director, he said, was sidelined by leg injuries and had about 16 months out on the hills, but has been in work since May and is coming to hand nicely. About a fortnight ago, he made a winning reappearance at the Invercargill Workouts, clocking 2:46.7 and getting the decision by a nose. At last week's Winton Workouts, Tour Director pleased Williamson again when third behind the well-performed stablemate Tas Man Bromac, and Mighty Flying Deal.
“He's a nice horse and has ability, I think he'll be hard to beat,” Williamson said.
Tour Director has drawn 11 of 11 and Williamson's next drive, McKenzie Mara has drawn11 of 13. She contests race five, the Southland Standardbred Breeders Mares and Fillies 1700 metre mobile and her trainer/driver concedes the draw will make it tough in a field that includes the likes of dynamic Gore winner Ariadne Lavra. McKenzie Mara also raced at Gore. She drew 12, went back early, sat parked for the last lap and stuck well for third.
“I was pleased with her first up at Gore, she did work and fought on,” Williamson said. “She's on the way up and if she keeps improving will have a good season. She'll need luck from the draw but is a smart horse.”
Wide draws continue for Williamson in the sixth, the Ryder Plumbing Ltd Mobile. He drives the Makarewa Country Club Syndicate runner Mighty Flying Deal, previously trained by Tony Barron but now with Brett Gray. Williamson has never driven Mighty Flying Deal but was in close proximity when it split Tas Man Bromac and Tour Director at last week's Winton Workouts.
Surprisingly, he hasn't got a drive in the day's feature $15,000 Sir Lincoln Riverton Cup but names the 40 metres back marker, Pulp Fiction, as the horse to beat.
“I'll go with the class, I've got a lot of respect for that horse,” he said.
His final drive is in race eight, the $10,000 Neville Cleaver Fishing Aparima Trot, aboard new runner to the stable, De Vito. Raced by the Balfour Syndicate and previously with Billy Heads, De Vito won a workout at Invercargill in 3:30.7 last weekend.
“He went quite well, I'd expect a good run and he will improve,” Williamson said.
De Vito is off the front and goes from the unruly while stablemate Sun's Invasion has drawn one and starts from 10 metres behind. The mare has disappointed at times since winning first up for the season but Williamson won't discount her chances.
“Brent Barclay is driving her, she has worked well this week and should be a good place chance,” he said.
Mac Henry