WILLIAMS STABLE ‘GOBSMACKED’
THE Lloyd Williams camp is in “shock” over Buckhurst being rejected from the Ladbrokes Cox Plate field, saying he finds it “extraordinary” that several horses have been elevated ahead of him.
Williams has won six Melbourne Cups but the Cox Plate has been the race he cannot crack and his dreams are buried this year unless Buckhurst gets a reprieve.
The stable says it is gobsmacked by the decision.
Most obvious is surprise three-year-old contender Grandslam, who has just one win, a Benchmark 66 in Adelaide, but Team Williams also pointed to Master Of Wine, who Buckhurst beat home in last Saturday’s Caulfield Cup, and import Sir Dragonet.
“I am in shock but it’s their race and they can do with it what they like,” Nick Williams said.
“I do find it extraordinary, to be honest. I think a couple of horses should be well behind Buckhurst.
“We didn’t even consider we would miss the field.
“Somehow that three-yearold is in front of him, and he beat Master Of Wine pretty easily (in the Caulfield Cup).
“He has raced against Sir Dragonet three times, twice giving him weight and beating him twice. The only time Sir Dragonet beat him we got a crook ride.”
Lloyd Williams’ long quest to win the Cox Plate – which has included a narrow miss with Mahogany when gunned down by Octagonal in 1995 – appears set to be unfulfilled for another year.
“It’s interesting they put in some horses that are rated miles lower than him, but so be it,” Nick Williams said.
Buckhurst, who was set to be ridden by Jamie Kah, is now likely to race in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes on the final day of the Flemington carnival.
MVRC chairman Don Casboult said it came down to two runners for the final spot in Master Of Wine and Buckhurst with the committee opting to leave out Buckhurst.