Racing: Williamson up for the challenge

Nathan Williamson. Photo by Matt Smith
Nathan Williamson. Photo by Matt Smith

Nathan Williamson. Photo by Matt Smith
Nathan Williamson. Photo by Matt Smith
The Australians are coming for a raid of the southern stakes but a Southland driver has a good mind to stop them.

Four leading Australian drivers are among those descending on Ascot Park on Sunday for the Trans Tasman Drivers Challenge.

New Zealand Cup-winning trainer-driver Kerryn Manning headlines the Australian team which also includes Lance Justice, John Caldow and Lisa Miles.

The Australians will have to down the defending champions to claim the challenge. The North Island team of Maurice McKendry, Peter Ferguson and David and Zac Butcher is unchanged from last year's winning side, and the South Island team of Dexter Dunn, Ricky May, Blair Orange and Nathan Williamson remains the same.

''Not only is it good to compete against the Aussies and North Island, but it's good socially off the track and it's good for the owners and trainers to chase penalty-free wins,'' Williamson said.

''I thought that as far as the teams were concerned, the Aussies have really strong drives - they'll be the team to beat.''

Williamson does not rate himself a huge chance of winning the individual title claimed by Maurice McKendry last year, opting for the veteran Sammy The Bull (race 9 - heat 4) as the best of his four drives in the series after a fresh-up fourth at Ascot Park last week.

''I thought he ran on all right the other day and he's always a genuine enough horse. He drops back a grade . . . and he's drawn near enough and stays all day.''

Williamson considers Circus Boy (race 3 - heat 1) as an each-way chance if the better performed back markers make a mistake, although one of the 40m back markers is Poppymalda, trained by Williamson.

''My No1 priority is trying to beat her, but hopefully, fingers crossed, she goes well,'' he said.

The mare had a break after her third in the 4yr-old trotting division of the Harness Jewels and Williamson was very pleased with her third at Wyndham on November 15.

Zac Butcher has been drawn to drive Poppymalda, and she is a winning chance if the race is run to suit the 5yr-old.

''She's an extremely fast beginner and there's only 11 in there.

''If she's within four or five lengths of them at the 400m, I'd like to think she would be very hard to beat.''

Williamson's other two series drives are Leolas Delight (race 6, heat 2) and Call Me Kiwi (race 7, heat 9) but he likes the chances of Zen Warrior (race 5) and Sheeza Shark (race 8) as his best two of the day.

Williamson is considering a start in the Green Mile at Methven on December 6 for his open-class trotter, Jag's Invasion, while Tas Man Bromac's next treble of starts could be the Gore Cup (December 27), the Roxburgh Cup (January 4) and the Invercargill Cup (January 30).

''It's probably putting a bit of pressure on the horse, but he's come through his [New Zealand] Cup week well and hopefully he can put his hand up and get a major slice of one of them.''

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