By Jonny Turner
Nathan Williamson edged closer to one milestone while Bob Butt completed another with Get Up N Dance’s win in the Waikouaiti Cup on Sunday.
The two horsemen combined to seal a Waikouaiti Cups double for Butt had already trained Heston Hall to win the Waikouaiti Trotters Cup with Gavin Smith in the sulky.
Get Up N Dance has always had plenty of class, but he hasn’t shown it in all of his runs through the spring and summer.
But some fine tuning from Butt had the horse in the space he needed to be in to capitalise on the sweet run Williamson found for him on the back of his main rival, Got You Covered.
“Bob had him right up to the mark today as usual,” Williamson said.
“He is a horse that Bob has really got figured out and he is racing really well.”
“He put in a disappointing run and Bob really got on top of that.”
“I had a little bit of the same thing when I had him, he used to throw in a bad run.”
“When Got You Covered dragged him into it he was always going to be right there, but in saying that he took a lot of wearing down.”
Get Up N Dance’s Waikouaiti Cup completed a winning double for Williamson who ended Sunday’s meeting on 998 driving wins in New Zealand.
Win number 997 came with the Ricky Gutsell trained Still Rockin extended his outstanding record on grass tracks.
The pacer made it win three in his sixth grass track start when he took out race 7.
“Ricky said he was well and he said he is as good coming from behind as he is when he is rolling.”
“As it worked it they backed off the speed a wee bit and I was able to lob round and he was too good.”
“He is an honest old horse on the grass.”
As his quest for 1000 wins continues, Williamson will drive at Addington on Friday night before heading to Riverton Cup Day at Ascot Park on Sunday.
“It would be good if I was able to get one at Addington and then bring up the 1000 at Riverton.”
“By home track I mean Invercargill, Winton or Wyndham, I really want to do it in the Southland province.”
“I’m going to have five of mine in and hopefully a few drives.”
With five wins in Australia, Williamson already has 1000 wins to his name.
But sealing 1000 wins on New Zealand soil is a milestone the trainer-driver can’t wait to tick off.
