Williams to warm up for Cup Day

[Wandering Eyes]

By Jonny Turner

Tim Williams will be out to keep up his great form in the sulky at Rangiora on Friday ahead of New Zealand Cup Day.

Williams started the week with wins with Arden’s Delight and Alta Wiseguy on Kaikoura Cup Day and looks a big chance of racking up more victories with his six drives.

Four of those are for Stonewall Stud’s southern team, of which Williams is a key member.

Among their runners is Show Me Heaven, who looks a big chance of keeping the stable’s form going strongly following Alta Wiseguy’s big win in Monday’s Sales Series Classic.

The three-year-old goes into race 11 fitter for her first-up sixth at Ashburton and she has the aid of barrier 1.

“She will definitely be improved from her first-up run and she’s got a good draw,” Williams said.

“I thought she is probably thrown in that race from the draw and she would be one of our (Stonewall’s) better chances of the day.”

Rock N Dash has also come up with barrier 1 for the Steve and Amanda Telfer barn in race 4.

The filly has trialled well ahead of her debut, but there is no guarantee she can make use of her ace marble.

“She is a progressive type, but she is still very much learning,” Williams said.

“The one draw is either going to be really good or really bad.”

“She is a work in progress, but she has got a motor.”

Somedreamsomewhere has also trialled well from standing start ahead of his debut behind the tapes in race 5.

Williams is hopeful the pacer can get away safely, though he is wary of the pressures of raceday.

“He is a big, sensible type, but come race day you never know.”

“He was good at the trials, but it is a full front row.”

“As long as he goes away, I think the 2600m will suit him.”

Jenneau has copped the worst draw among the Stonewall team, on the outside of the front line in race 2.

A full sister to Spanish Armada, the filly has trialled well in Canterbury and just needs a slice of luck to be right in her 2000m assignment.

Williams has two outside drives at Friday’s meeting including Arabian Blue and Dixie Reign.

Arabian Blue scored stylishly on debut before running into the progressive Romeo Shard in his next outing.

The Steve Dolan trained pacer looks well placed to bounce back to form in race 7.

“He impressed me when he won at Addington, he got a good trip that night but he did it quite nice.”

“If he gets a decent trip there is no reason he won’t be in the mix.”

Williams has eight drives on New Zealand Cup Day including Henry Hubert in the New Zealand Cup.

The pacer’s standing start manners look to be coming right ahead of the great race, which gives him a realistic winning shot given his excellent prior performances in the event.

“The two miles isn’t an issue for him, being on the unruly recently has helped him.”

“Hopefully he can get away and land in the front half of the field and go another good race.”

Henry Hubert ran fourth behind Self Assured in the 2020 New Zealand Cup and sixth behind Cruz Bromac in 2019.

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