Past Southern Supremacy Past Winner-Ragazzo Mach 

The win by Ragazzo Mach (Mach Three) in the 2021 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes was special for Branxholme harness racing trainer Nathan Williamson.

For a number of years a win in the Supremacy had eluded him. Tas Man Bromac had finished second when beaten by a nose in 2015, Franco Santino ran third in 2018 and Pembrook Playboy was beaten by a neck by Burnham Boy in 2020.

Leading into the Supremacy Ragazzo Mach had been luckless in both the Flying Stakes and the New Zealand Derby and had returned home to prepare for his Ascot Park challenge to be run less than four weeks later.

On the day, despite his Addington form line, punters made him a $1.40 favourite for the $40,000 feature.

After settling on the outside Williamson took Ragazzo Mach forward with 1600 metres to run and in the straight he powered away to win by five and a half lengths from Yorokobi.

His winning time of 3-17.6 smashed the previous record of 3-19.1 which had been jointly held by the 2009 winner Highview Tommy and the 2017 victor Eamon Maguire.

With that monkey off his back, Williamson went on to win the Supremacy the following year with Sand Wave.

Tomorrow the Invercargill HRC host Diamonds Day at Ascot with a host of feature race including the $110,000 Group One Diamond Creek Farm Two Year Old Classic, the $60,000 Group Two Macca Lodge/Nevele R Southern Oaks, the $60,000 Group Two Alabar Supremacy Stakes and the $40,000 Regent Car Court Southern Country Cups Final.

A truly spectacular day of racing which gets underway at 12 noon.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink