Critics are hit for 66

TRAINER Danny Williams has hit back at “social media experts” critical of his handling of stable star Shelby Sixtysix as the Group 1 winner prepares Saturday’s Listed Chief De Beers (1110m) at Doomben.

The armchair experts have come out of the woodwork, questioning Williams’ decision to continuing to race his stable star this preparation.

It’s been well-documented that Shelby Sixtysix, one of the sport’s great stories in 2022, has been in work since midway through last year while achieving tremendous success throughout the Sydney autumn.

The Toronado gelding won Williams his maiden Group 1 in The Galaxy in March when backing up for an amazing fifth consecutive week, however, he has failed to reach the same lofty heights in three runs since.

Shelby Sixtysix pulled up 3/5 lame after his most recent run in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford before he was forced to miss last Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 due to a foot bruising related to the setback.

It has led some to call on the gelding to be spelled, something Williams has indeed been considering, however the Goulburn conditioner insists it is not as clear-cut as many on social media may believe.

“The biggest thing at the moment is the horse lacks fitness so we need to run him or spell him but ... spelling is not as easy as it sounds with the wet ground,” Williams said.

“We are debating what to do with him, he may be ready for a spell, but it has been so wet it’s not as straight forward as putting him in a mud-soaked paddock.

“I spoke to the gentleman at the place where he usually spells and he said it’s basically underwater.

“A lot of people on social media will give the greatest of advice but they’re not training the horse and don’t know the complexity of it and keeping him going.

“He‘s not a normal horse where you put him in a spelling paddock and get him back.

“It’s not always that straight forward, he is a horse that needs racing and is at his best when he is.”

Williams will always put what’s best for Shelby Sixtysix first and is keeping his long-term racing future in mind.

He continues to monitor the sprinter from Queensland before making a final decision on whether the gelding runs this Saturday.

The five-year-old needs to pass a vets check after a foot issue flared up while standing on wet ground in the lead-up to the Doomben 10,000.

Williams believes he’s “just about 100 per cent recovered”.