Williamson hopes to cap off big week at Cromwell

Matthew Williamson hopes his run of harness racing success can continue at Cromwell on Friday.

Williamson hasn’t just been winning on the track recently, with the trainer collecting the newcomer to training award at the New Zealand Harness Racing Awards on Monday.

The Oamaru horseman is looking to cap a big week with strong results at Cromwell’s twilight card on Friday, and with many of the team who will step back out at the same track on Sunday.

Deciding which Williamson runner to follow in race 5 could be a tricky task for punters with Jordan Anne, Shandon Bells and Dem Bones Dem Bones bringing a mixture of formlines together.

But Williamson has been able to split the trio and is leaning towards Jordan Anne as his stable’s top seed given race 5’s distance of 2600m.

“She’s going really well, Jordan Anne, and if she gets any luck I’d say she’ll be hard to beat,” the trainer said.

Shandon Bells has been in outstanding touch recently and Williamson thinks she’s a threat if his wife Charlotte can find cover when she combines with the mare.

“She’s racing really well, Shandon Bells, she just needs that wee bit of cover probably over that 2600m distance,” Williamson said.

“If Charlotte can give her a nice run, I’m sure she’s good enough to be in the first three.”

Dem Bones Dem Bones copped interference in her last start on grass at Gore.

Williamson has made gear changes unrelated to the horse’s last start gallop ahead of her start on Friday.

“She got a wee bit of interference which would have meant she finished a bit closer.”

“But that said, she was on tired legs.”

“We’ve made a few gear changes with her, she’s just been over-racing a wee bit.”

“Hopefully, if she can just relax a wee bit more she’ll have more at the end.”

Terra Sancta starts Williamson day off when she starts in race 4.

The mare galloped in the score up of her last start at Oamaru before recovering to run a solid fourth.

“She went good last start – she galloped in the score up,” Williamson said.

“Hopefully we’re going to eradicate that – we’ve made some changes.”

“She looks an each way chance.”

Haley Robyn faces a tough task, starting from the unruly the after an early mistake in her last start at Gore.

The mare went on to run well, backing up a good prior win on the all-weather.

“I was really happy with her run at Gore, she’s on the unruly unfortunately so giving away a head-start.”
“But if they’re having to go too hard or something like that she’s definitely going well enough to get by a few of them.”

Majestix rounds out the Williamson stable’s Cromwell attack on Friday.

The mare got her form back on track with a tidy last start win at Ascot Park.

“It’s not too big of a step up in grade for her.”

“There’s a couple of smart ones in it but she’s got a good turn of foot.”

“If she can be in a striking position she’d be as quick as any of them.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Jonny Turner, for Harness Racing New Zealand