By ROY ASPINALL
NICK Hall gave his godfather, Lloyd Williams, the biggest resident racehorse owner in Australia, a long awaited missing trophy when he won Saturday’s 136th BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Fawkner.
Lloyd Williams has invested millions of dollars in Australian racing with his main aim the major spring features in Melbourne but had been missing the BMW Caulfield Cup.
He has won the Emirates Melbourne Cup four times with Just A Dash (1971), What A Nuisance (1985), Efficient (2007) and Green Moon last spring but the BMW Caulfield Cup had eluded him with Nayrizi second in 1989 and Green Moon in 2011.
Lloyd Williams has established an impressive training set up at Macedon Lodge at Mt Macedon with Robert Hickmott, 44, a former Melbourne AFL player, as the resident trainer.
Last spring Fawkner ran second to Happy Trails in Victoria’s premier 1600 metres event, the Group 1 Emirates Stakes at Flemington and the stable considered he may be weighted out of 1600 metres races in the future. Fawkner, a son of Lloyd Williams 2004 Australian Guineas winner, Reset, who was unbeaten in five starts, was placed on the market but the sale fell through.
“Dad was quite relieved when the sale fell through and said that overnight he had a think and decided that this was the horse to give him a Caulfield Cup,” Lloyd Williams’ son, Nick said.
So started a 12-month plan that came to impressive fruition at Caulfield on Saturday.
Perfectly ridden by Nick Hall, 26, the son of former top hoop, Greg Hall, Fawkner settled midfield and was well back on the home turn but Hall threaded him through the field as he powered him for a strong win. He scored by one-and-a-quarter lengths from the international visitor, Dandino with a nose to Dear Demi, third.
Whilst the Emirates Melbourne Cup is not likely to be on the agenda for Fawkner the race is an excellent guide to the Flemington event.
There is doubt about Dandino running the 3200 metres but the way he motored him on Saturday he is sure to be a contender. Jet Away (4th) had no luck and will be improved by the run. Hawkspur (7th) ran a superb race though luckless. Kelinni (9th) and Moriarty (10th) looked good.
Another 11 internationals arrived over the weekend adding more intrigue to the coming weeks.
This week is full of action with Wednesday’s $315,000 Group 3 Centrebet Geelong Cup (2400m) featuring several Melbourne Cup contenders. Remember that both Dunaden and Americain won the race before their Flemington success.
Then follows the Cox Plate meeting at Moonee Valley over two days – the first on Friday evening, featuring the $1,015,000 Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) which will see the first appearance of Hong Kong star sprinter, Lucky Nine.
Saturday will see the $3,050,000 Group 1 Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m). In what looks like being one of the best fields in recent years, the exciting mare, Atlantic Jewel, winner of 10 of her 11 starts, does seem the winner. Of the others Fiorente, It’s A Dundeel, Happy Trails and Puissance De Lune rate highly and the three-year-old, Long John, winner of the Beck Caulfield Guineas must be considered.
