Kylie Williams is hoping she will have plenty to celebrate when she is sunning herself in Rarotonga on Sunday.
The Canterbury hoop will head to Ellerslie on Saturday for just the third time in her three-decade career where she will ride the Andrew Carston-trained Miss Ziggy in the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m).
The meeting will also present Williams with another opportunity to ride alongside her Australian-based son Logan Bates, who is crossing the Tasman to partner the Cindy Alderson-trained Jigsaw in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m). He has also picked up rides on In Haste in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m), Moxie in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m), She’s No Saint in the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), and Moschino in the HKJC World Pool Jo Giles Stakes (1400m).
Williams, who recorded her 1,000th win in the saddle last September, realised a long-held dream when competing against Bates on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November, and while she thought it was a one and done affair before her impending retirement, she is excited to get another opportunity, this time on New Zealand racing’s biggest stage.
“Andrew asked me to go up (to ride Miss Ziggy at Ellerslie) a couple of weeks ago and after she went a good race he asked me if I wanted to ride her on Karaka Millions night,” Williams said. “I had planned to ride at Riccarton that day, but I will go and ride her, which is pretty cool.
“Logan is coming over to ride Jigsaw, so it has worked out well and hopefully he can win on him in the Railway.”
Bates has accrued a handy record on the seven-year-old gelding, riding him to victory in his last three starts, including the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) and A$1 million Meteorite (1200m).
While looking forward to watching her son compete in a Group One on home soil, Williams’ primary focus will be riding Miss Ziggy in their $1.5 million feature, and she is confident of a bold showing after she partnered the Brazen Beau filly to a runner-up result at the Auckland track earlier this month.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes a big race,” she said. “We know the track doesn’t get too heavy at Ellerslie, which is a bonus because I don’t know if she would like that.
“Andrew is happy with her, so we just need a bit of luck.”
It will be just the third time Williams has ridden at Ellerslie, but she said she now has a good feel for the track and believes it will favour her filly this weekend.
“I have ridden there twice before – once was in the Auckland Cup (Gr.2, 3200m, on Waisake) and then Ziggy the other day,” she said. “I have had a couple of runs around there now and Ziggy seems to like going that way, so she makes my job easier.”
Meanwhile, Williams will be keeping a close eye on her home meeting at Riccarton on Saturday where she will put on her training hat and line-up Leonard in the Riccarton Park Function Centre Maiden (1400m).
“Leonard is having his first run in six months,” Williams said. “He probably should have raced sooner but he got injured, so I have just taken my time with him. If he was racing later in the day I probably would have scratched him because we have had a bit of rain down here.
“He has drawn well (2) and I think Daniel (Bothamley, jockey) will suit him. He will probably need the run, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes a cheeky race, he is working well and he looks good.
“I have done my job and now it is up to Daniel and Leonard.”
Williams has been training a small team off-and-on for nearly 20 years and she said she enjoys that side of the industry.
“I have always liked doing one or two, just as a different challenge and it gives you a different perspective,” she said.
With her jockey hat back on, Williams is looking forward to competing at the Karaka Millions meeting for the first time and is hoping to join in the festivities if the results go her family’s way this weekend.
“I have to wait until 7pm to have my ride, so I won’t get to enjoy the other side of it much, but if Logan wins the Group One in the last there might be celebrating after that,” she said. “There might be a hangover on the plane.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
