Williamson’s day bound to be more sedate
ONE thing is guaranteed for trainerdriver Nathan Williamson at the trots at Wingatui today.
He will not be going at the same speed he did at Winton on Saturday behind Franco Santino.
Williamson trained and drove the blueblood 3yrold to a sizzling 1.52 mile win in the fastest of 10 mile races there.
The 3yrold was luckless in his last start behind Kilowatt Kid but, thanks to Williamson, received a perfect run behind the leader, Mach’s Back, then went at him like a shot in the straight.
‘‘The other horse fought pretty hard and you’re getting into a new zone when you’re going 1.52, so he really had to dig in and it was pleasing to see him dig in like he did,’’ Williamson said.
Franco Santino will now be aimed at the Southern Supremacy Stakes Final on Southland’s Diamonds Day late next month.
‘‘The Supremacy is the aim now. He will probably have one more run and then he can go there.’’
With his pedigree it should be no surprise to see Franco Santino pacing a fast mile.
He is by champion pacer and sire Christian Cullen from Americanbred mare San Rafaella who paced a careerbest 1.52.3 time.
With only five starts behind him, Franco Santino should have plenty of opportunities to lower his already impressive mile time.
‘‘He is steadily improving all of the time, so that is all you can ask.’’
Leading Southland pacer Somejoy was untroubled in justifying her redhot favouritism for Saturday’s Southern Belle Speed series heat at Winton.
The Clark Barrontrained mare came from last at the 800m to score a powerful 1.53.2. victory, the secondfastest mile of the day.
Delestic will be Williamson’s only representative at today’s Forbury Park Trotting Club meeting at Wingatui.
Rather than her speed, it will be the trotter’s stamina that will be tested as the field for race 4 works up the uphill Wingatui straight.
Delestic has scored all three of her wins on grass which makes her a leading winning chance despite her laststart showing when she got things badly wrong and was pulled up after galloping.
Williamson is confident it was a one off occurrence and that the mare will enjoy being back on a grass track today.
‘‘I would be surprised if she did anything like that again,’’ he said.
‘‘She does get quite stirred, but she has never done anything like that before.
‘‘She does save her best and seems to be a whole lot more settled on the grass.
‘‘If she trots for the first 20m or so I would be surprised if she galloped during the race.’’