Group status for Heather Williams a fitting acknowledgement

Trotting mares take center stage on one of harness racing’s premier meetings at Addington tomorrow night (May 12), with the third installment of the Haras des Trotteurs Heather Williams Memorial.

2023 will mark the first occasion the race has been run at G3 level, a fitting tribute for the race named in the honour of one the biggest supporters of the gait.

Heather Williams in partnership with her husband Lex realised tremendous success with their millionaire queen of the track, One Over Kenny. Not that it ultimately mattered given she won seven figures and six open-class Group One races. But One Over Kenny raced in just one race that was limited to the fairer sex in her 54 starts as an aged mare, and that was in the final race of her career!

Trotting mares having the ability to earn black type against their own sex was something Heather was extremely passionate about and you could sense the recently crowned NZ Breeder of the Year was beaming with pride when talking about tomorrow night’s trotting feature.

“It’s awesome for us and all trotting breeders to see it put up to Group status and I think it’s an honour to Heather, acknowledging her contribution over the years and her passion for it,” said Williams.

“Thats been the push that we have been working on, even before Heather passed, she was keen for that to happen and wondered why we couldn’t do something.

“Haras Des Trotteurs and I got together, and we were looking at ways to promote trotting mare’s races and have sponsored the race to get above the G3 threshold of $25,000. That’s up from $15,000 from the first few installments. We have sponsored the race for ten years which is a pretty strong commitment.

“We really wanted a mile for the mares to get a fast time beside their names, but we couldn’t get that racing at Addington. However, the most important thing was getting the black type opportunity which we have since achieved,” he said.

The 1980m mobile has attracted a field of eight quality mares, with the first three home getting that all important black print to their name for their future as broodmares of the sport.

“I’m wrapped with the quality of the field. It’s just a shame that Peregrine went for a spell and also Sioux Princess being retired,” said Williams.

“They would have been great to have in the field being such talented mares, but overall, the depth in female trotting is getting stronger all the time and hopefully races like these are keeping them racing a while longer than they have in the past.”

Williams was incredibly excited about the prospect of having a runner both he and Heather bred in the field for tomorrow night, with the Robbie Holmes trained Light Of Da Moon being better than a runners chance.

The bonnie wee trotting mare is by their former resident trotting stallion One Over Da Moon who has done a tremendous job with limited opportunities at stud.

The former G1 winner was one of Heather William’s favourite horses out of the 80 odd they bred while at One Over Lodge on the outskirts of Oamaru.

“Heather had a really close affinity with One Over Da Moon and the pair of them have a great affection for each other. It’s neat that Light Of Da Moon will fly the flag of our former farm in a race honouring Heather given he was such a great horse for us.

“She is in there with a chance, she mightn’t be quite up to some of those others, but it just depends on the day and the run she gets. She is generally competitive in most of her races.

“She has had a few little issues Robbie has been trying to sort out, but he must think he has her right for tomorrow given she is taking her place in the field,” he said.

In what will no doubt be an emotional night for Williams, he will be flanked by members of his family who are turning out in their droves to cheer on Light Of Da Moon whilst remembering one of the great female participants of our sport.

“Her ability to handle horses was second to none really, she had great patience and was a great stock lady who loved her animals.

“My son and his family are coming up and cousins of Heather will be there, and we are really looking forward to it,” he said.

The Heather Williams Memorial will kick off at 6:26pm as the third race on the ten-race programme.

For complete Addington race fields, click here.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink