Phil Williamson hits 800

Oamaru trainer Phil Williamson ticked off another milestone at Addington last night when Love N The Port (Love You) became his 800^th winner.

LOVE N THE PORT REPLAY

“It’s a good number no doubt, but I don’t think about it (milestones) too much,” Williamson said.

780 of his successes have been with trotters and many were at the top end. Fourteen were at Group One level with two Rowe Cups and a Dominion Handicap included.

“I always thought it was easier to get into the higher end with trotters. Back in the day pacers were harder to buy whereas you could buy a trotter for a lot cheaper. There were only two races (per race day) in those days and there was a small pool of horses so we went that way. Then all of a sudden people were giving me trotters rather than pacers.”

It’s been a real family affair with Bev breeding and owning a host of Phil’s winners and with their sons driving winners for their father;  Matthew 252, Brad 183 and Nathan 113.

“The children winning Group Ones or Harness Jewels have been the highlights. It’s a lifestyle we’ve been able to have a lot of success at.”

Phil’s biggest winners have been Allegro Agitato (21), Jimmy Carter and Springbank Sam (20), One Over Kenny and Majestic Man (19) and Springbank Richard and Jasmyn’s Gift (17).

His four highest earners have been Majestic Man $585,480, Springbank Richard $572,369, Allegro Agitato $446,899 and One Over Kenny $420,734.

Williamson says he’s proud of how far trotting has come in terms of stakes.

“For sure. You can make ends meet now where it was tough going back a bit.”  

Williamson first became interested in horses while attending Port Molyneux School. Len Tilson, trainer of the great Stella Frost had a stable next to the school.

Phil had a short stint as a jockey, working for harness racing trainer Alistair Kerslake but changed gaits when he went to work for Dick Prendergast.

“He (Prendergast) was a good stockman. He knew how to look after his stock so that was a good lesson learned.”

Role Model’s win at Forbury Park in March 1993 was Williamson’s first winner as a trainer.

“He was the first horse we trained for owners publicly. The Coupers who owned him  called in to see us and asked if we could take a horse and we said yes. It was a good thing and it got us started.”

The No Fission gelding won a further five races pacing, before Williamson converted him to the trotting gait. Role Model won ten races as a trotter and gave Phil his first Group winner when he won the 1996 Group Two New Zealand Trotting Championship.

In last night’s race Love N The Port was fourth early as the small field raced in single file. Driver Matty Williamson then slotted him into the one one for the last section of the race and he trotted home to beat stablemate Empire City by two lengths.

“If he can keep trotting like he did last night he’ll be very competitive with the best.”

It was Love N The Port’s first win since he won at Cup Week 2023.

Williamson knew last season that there was something amiss with Love N The Port and a scintigraphy bone scan showed a small bone chip which has since been removed.

“Throughout his career he hasn’t trotted very well. Last night was probably as good as he’s ever trotted so we were much happier with him. He’s always been with them (top trotters), but his gait has stopped him from being driven out at the end of races. He’s also had to be nursed around bends.”

Williamson reckons if Love N The Port’s gait stays clean the former Rowe Cup winner will have another good win in him.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink