Tim’s return to All Stars

Harness racing driver Tim Williams has driven many winners for the All Stars stable and tonight (Mar. 31) he donned the blue with the silver stars colours to win the $27,000 Group Three Fahy Fence Hire Autumn Pacing FFA driving Bollinger (Bettor’s Delight).

Williams now works for the Telfer/Cullen stable so rarely gets the chance to drive for the All Stars. But with Mark Purdon in Auckland supervising the northern arm of the All Stars team, Williams took the reins on Bollinger, taking out the feature pace.

There was plenty happening prior to the start. Favourite Krug (Bettor’s Delight) got hard on the bit for driver Carter Dalgety and pulled his block off during the preliminary. The Clerk of the Course had to park himself outside the entire to help settle him down. Dalgety then made the call to remove the horse’s blinds.

Off the gate Krug smoked his way to the top, running a lead time of 23.9 but inside the last 800 metres he started to battle and eventually finished last.

Meanwhile Williams had secured a perfect trip for Bollinger and the four year old let down nicely in the straight to beat The Falcon (Bettor’s Delight) by one and three quarter lengths. The winning time was 2-22.1 with the last 800 metres in 55.9. It was Bollinger’s sixth win in seventeen starts.

BOLLINGER REPLAY

“It helped with Krug having that quick lead time. It just brought him into the race and he made his own luck,” co-trainer Nathan Purdon said.

“He’s a smart horse but he’s in the grade where he has to race the best of the best so the owners will have to decide whether they move him on or keep racing him. He did the job tonight and he is a handy horse but he’s probably a notch below the best ones.” 

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink