Craig Williams has landed in Singapore and takes the ride on the Tim Fitzsimmons-trained $5 favourite Mr Black Back in Saturday’s Group 1 Singapore Gold Cup over 2000 metres.
Meticulous in his planning – demonstrably so in nabbing big race successes in Melbourne and Sydney over the last two months – his acceptance of rides when it comes to Singapore has a marked difference.
There he lets someone else decided whether it is a good option to go, or not.
“It works out well at the end of the Melbourne Spring Carnival,” Williams said of the scheduling of the Singapore feature.
“The Singapore Gold Cup is timely and I’ve ridden in it three times for two wins.
“These rides are usually sourced by Vlad Duric who was apprenticed to my father and we grew up together.”
Williams’ first win in the Gold Cup was aboard Bahana for trainer Stephen Gray in 2016 and the second for Lee Freedman aboard Mr Clint in 2019.
Family connections share a common importance across many of Craig’s big race trophy collection, but trusting and following the advice of Singapore hero Vlad Duric is the only thing he relies on in deciding to jump aboard the plane, and has done so this time for the rides on Mr Black Back and stablemate Golden Monkey in the Trapaois 2013 Sprint (1200m).
“Vlad gives me the introductions to these horses and, to be honest, if he tells me to come over and that they’re worth riding then I come over.
“Vlad has sorted me two rides this weekend and he said I’ve got a good chance of winning the Sprint and the Cup.
“He identified Mr Black Back earlier this year but he thought it might be more a horse for 2023. He said the way the horse has come along really quickly that he’d be a perfect horse for this year’s Singapore Gold Cup and that’s why I’m here.
“I’ve looked at his replays and he won the Wagga Guineas, Vlad likes him and I’m not going to argue with him as he got me my other two Gold Cup winning rides,” he said of the galloper formerly under the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
With the meeting being held on Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday slot, Craig has taken the opportunity to ease into this raceday after a hectic multi-state carnival where he’s taken his successes in with a different perspective.
He took out the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) aboard Bella Nipotina, Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) with Icebath, and The Everest (1200m) in a boilover on 20-1 hope Giga Kick.
“I was surprised how big The Everest was. It is right up there with the Melbourne Cup,” he said.
“To have that success during the carnival, and my three-year-olds really stood up.
“Mr Brightside was the horse that we had our main hopes for at weight-for-age and he was so dominant in Group 2 races.
“Then against Australia’s best at Group 1 level, from 1600 metres to 2000, you just saw how good and competitive he is and where he possibly can be in the next six months.”
For now it’s Singapore then back to Melbourne before a trip to Brisbane on Christmas Eve in preparation for the Magic Millions two-year-old races.
“We’ve had a great spring carnival. Most importantly to come away with big winners it was a fantastic time because I’ve been able to appreciate the results differently with the perspective I’ve gained over the last nine months with what my wife and I have been doing in Ukraine.
“It made me appreciate this carnival a lot more after that life changing experience.”
