Brad not going to hand up Majestic Man

Oamaru harness racing trainer Phil Williamson is adamant that son Brad won’t be handing up the lead on Majestic Man (Majestic Son) in Friday’s (Feb. 3) heat for the Great Southern Star at Melton.

The eight year old trotter has drawn two in the second heat of the trotting feature.

“You couldn’t wish for a better draw. It’s set up pretty well for us and we’ll be given our chance. No, we won’t be handing up,” Phil said. 

The Melton race card is exclusively for trotters with two heats followed by a final for the Great Southern Star. The heats are worth $50,000 each while the final, carded for two and a half hours later, will be raced for $300,000 and carries Group One status.

New Zealand’s top ranked trotters Sundees Son (Majestic Son), Muscle Mountain (Muscle Hill) and Bolt for Brilliance (Muscle Hill) are not travelling to Australia for a variety of reasons. Williamson saw an opportunity for Majestic Man in their absence and decided to make the trip with him across the Tasman for the third time.

They left Auckland last Wednesday and on Saturday night Majestic Man raced and won the Dullard Cup. 

“I’m happy with him. He’s come through the run well and he seems bright. He’ll have a pretty easy week with a bit of light work on Wednesday and an easy day on Thursday.”

Between his heat and the final Williamson will give Majestic Man a light feed and keep him hydrated.

“I haven’t had a lot of experience with this type of racing. To draw well in the final would be advantageous.”

Williamson says the field is a strong one and winning won’t be easy.

“The one, three and four horses all have gate speed. It’ll definitely be on for young and old when they say go.” 

Majestic Man has a very good short distance record in Australia, having won the Dullard Trotting Cups in both 2021 and 2023 and the Group One Grand Prix and Group One Equine Mile.

Williamson is staying with former kiwi trainer Brent Lilley who has two runners in the Great Southern Star. Queen Elida (Love You) races in the first heat and Aldebaran Zeus (Muscle Hill) which has drawn the outside of the front row is in Majestic Man’s heat.

Queen Elida is owned by Southlander Gordon McKenzie and his sons Graeme, Blair and Brad, and Canterbury trainer Tony Barron and his wife Cheryl.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink