Australia beckoning for trotting star

Australia is once again beckoning for Majestic Man (Majestic Son) after his harness racing win in the Group 3 Cambridge Flying Stakes (2200m) on Thursday night (Jan. 12).

The gelding showed his gate speed to quickly take the lead for driver Brad Williamson who dictated terms throughout and guided his charge to a comfortable 1-1/2 length victory over stablemate Love N The Port.

“He has got the game for the sprinting and with it not being a strong field, he was always going to be very hard to beat,” trainer Phil Williamson said.

The Oamaru horseman was also pleased with the runner-up effort of Love N The Port.

“He is racing really well,” he said. “He doesn’t quite have the class of the other fella, but we have been very happy with the way he is progressing.”

Majestic Man won the race two years ago and Williamson used it as a launching pad for what would become a lucrative Australian campaign for the gelding.

In the midst of COVID-19 border restrictions, Majestic Man was accompanied on his trip by driver Brad Williamson, and the pair went on to win three Group Ones, including the Dullard Trotters Cup (2240m), Australian Trotting Grand Prix (2240m), and Aquagait Equine Centre Trotters Mile (1609m).

He also placed in the Great Southern Star Final and Williamson is keen to improve on that result this year.

“We are just finalising things over the next couple of days. He seems well this morning, so at this stage the plan for him is to go,” Williamson said.

“We are looking to head down the same line, but whether we head to the Dullard Cup or go straight to the Great Southern Star has yet to be decided.”

MAJESTIC MAN REPLAY

Driver Brad Williamson was just as rapt with Thursday’s result and there is a possibility that he could accompany Majestic Man on is Australian venture once more.

“Before we went to Australia a couple of years ago, he had a lot of Group placings in New Zealand and couldn’t manage to beat the likes of Sundees Son and Winterfell, so it was great to go over there and get a few Group Ones with him.

“The plan is to go to Australia now. There might be a spot for him on Wednesday to fly out.”

New Zealand is currently in one of its strongest eras of trotting with the likes of Sundees Son, Muscle Mountain, and Bolt For Brilliance, but all three will miss out on the Australian riches on offer over the next month as a result of injury or sickness.

“It is a bit unreal how it has happened,” Williamson said.

“It is unfortunate for them as they are all brave horses, and we love to see them race, but it is certainly a positive for the connections of Majestic Man.”

For complete race results, click here.

by Joshua Smith, for Harness News Desk