Williams on the Verge of 1000th career victory

Just days after Blair Orange cracked 3000 New Zealand winners, Tim Williams is on the verge of a big harness racing milestone himself.

They are currently one-two in the drivers’ premiership for 2025 with Williams heading to Ashburton today one win away from his 1000th driving success.

“Hopefully it comes soon,” Williams says.

Williams is very much a driver in form, with 111 wins this year, 35 behind Orange. He has a number of good each-way chances on the 13-race “Emerging Talent” meeting today and looks set to drive at least one winner.

And it should come in Race 3, the Molly and John Rodgers Memorial Mobile Pace (1.52pm)

Transonic is a first starter for the premiership-leading Steve and Amanda Telfer barn. He has been a star performer at the trials and despite a second line draw the Bettor’s Delight three-year-old opened a $1.30 favourite.

“He’s a nice horse and he’s my best (of the day) but it won’t be easy,” says Williams.  

Other good chances include Macho Man (Race 5) and Tribbiani (Race 11) for Kevin Townley and Treasure Cove (Race 6) and Caloriefree (Race 10) for the Telfers.

In Race 7 Williams will be part of a star studded trans-Tasman line-up in the first ever Inkwise Ashburton Invited Drivers Challenge Mobile Pace (3.53pm).

It’s a R35-44 4YO and older race for the mares that promises to be a highlight of the meeting. He’ll be on one of the outsiders in Stylish Lustre.

Among Williams’ rivals will be the likes of James Herbertson (Judine), Pete McMullen, who won Tuesday’s Dominion Trot with Gus, and Leap To Fame’s trainer-driver Grant Dixon along with Blair Orange, Zachary Butcher and John Dunn, fresh from his trio of winning drives at Addington on Tuesday.

Always A Menace, who helped Orange to his 3000th New Zealand win at Addington last week, is the $1.65 favourite to go back to back. She will be driven by Carter Dalgety.

Williams’ 999 wins so far have come from nearly 7500 drives, his first winner was as a junior driver with Easy Armbro at Rangiora in 2007.

For complete race entries, click here.

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk