By Jonny Turner
Chinese Whisper has been delivering Nathan Williamson all the right messages ahead of search for his best form at at Ascot Park on Thursday.
But whether that translates in to a winning performance is a total mystery for the trainer-driver.
The talented 4yr-old goes in to race 9 having completely botched the start of his two post-lockdown runs.
The worst part about it for Williamson is that the horse has felt tremendous when he finally settling in to a trot.
“I think he is the best horse in there on Thursday by quite some way if he did things right,” he said.
“This season he hasn’t raced at his best, even when he was second and third he was well down on his best form.”
“But, I think I have pretty well at the moment.”
“I have been really rapt with how he has felt, even though he has broken up in both of his starts he has felt tremendous.”
Williamson is hoping that upping Chinese Whisper’s training regime will help the Sundon gelding get his manners back in check.
“I have increased his workload, which may mean he is not as brilliant once he gets racing.”
“But, I just want to see him do things right and we can easily work on the rest once he gets trotting all the way.”
Williamson will also drive another problem child at Ascot Park on Thursday in Chinese Whisper’s full brother, Davey Mac.
The 7yr-old older sibling has galloped in his three starts leading in to race 4.
But, there is also hope he can also bring his best manners when returning to standing start racing.
“I think he is a better standing start horse, because he just gets himself too fired up behind the mobile.”
“So that could help him, but if he does trot 2700m might just be at the end of his range.”
The Williamson trained Unsurpassable will attempt to go two better than his good debut third at Ascot Park last weekend when stepping out from barrier 2 in race 7.
“He is a nice horse, he had a pretty bad draw the other day and obviously the horse that won it looked pretty smart.”
“It is not something I would normally do – back them up a week after that race.”
“But, he seems to have come through it really, really good.”
“He has come up with a good marble, so he has to be a good chance.”
Williamson combines with rising 11yr-old Tartan Trilogy in race 5 for trainer Chelsea Faithful.
He warned the veteran should not be underrated.
“He goes good the old boy – he has mixed it in good company.”
“Everyone seems to underrate him a bit because he is getting old.”
“He is certainly capable of mixing it with fields like the one he is in on Thursday.”
“He has beaten everything in the race before, except for A Delightful Act, who he hasn’t raced.”
Yankee Party returns to racing after running placings in strong mares races in the summer and early autumn.
Drawing barrier 7 in race 10 is Williamson’s main concern with the John and Katrina Price trained 4yr-old.
“She is a nice mare that will reach a tighter assessment.”
“But the preferential draw does make it tricky – she is starting outside horses that have won more races than her.”
“That makes it a wee bit more difficult fresh up, but she does have the class to overcome it.”
Williamson will drive Dreaminsover in race 2 after the Aaron Swain trained 7yr-old stuck on well in his first post-lockdown run at Ascot Park, two weeks ago.
“Aaron was quite happy with him going in to that race and he did go pretty well.”
“He is a horse that has to be up there, he was as flat a lap out as he was at the finish the other day, but he just keeps going at the same speed.”
Williamson will also drive Muchacha Bonita in race 1, Betterthanraza in race 2 and Toby O’Gara in race 6 on Thursday.
