By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Multiple Group One winner Majestic Man will kick-off his spring preparation at Addington Raceway on Friday in the Pastor Stephen At Llowalong Farms Handicap Trot (2600m) where he will renew his rivalry with top trotter Sundees Son.
Majestic Man was only able to get the better of his nemesis on one occasion last season when victorious in the Gr.2 Trotters Flying Mile (1609m) at Cambridge and trainer Phil Williamson is hoping to add to that this term.
The Majestic Son six-year-old won three Group Ones in Australia under the care of Williamson’s son, Brad, but he is still in search of his first elite-level success in his homeland.
Williamson will be out to change that this spring and will begin a path towards that goal at Addington on Friday.
“First-up he is obviously in need of racing but outside of that I am sure he will race well. He looks great,” Williamson said.
“He went great last season, especially in Australia, and it is just whether he can come back as good, and I think he has.
“His work indicates that he is as good as he has been.
“I am excited having him back racing. It is very hard to get a horse of his calibre and you have got to enjoy them while you have got them.”
While beating Sundees Son fresh-up after the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained gelding has already had two runs may be a bridge too far for Majestic Man on Friday but Williamson is expecting a bold showing nonetheless.
“Trying to beat Sundees Son may not be possible tonight, and the rest of the field are all nice horses, but I am looking forward to the challenge and I expect that he will race well,” he said.
All going to plan, Majestic Man will head to Ashburton to defend his crown in the Gr.3 Ashburton Flying Mile (1609m) where he posted a sizzling time of 1:54.1 last year.
“He will head to Ashburton to try and defend his race there and all going well he should be very competitive,” Williamson said.
Another stable runner that could be in for a big spring is Miss Crazed who won the Phillips Horse Transport/Regional Ford Gore Mobile Trot (1609m) on Thursday.
“I was very happy with her,” Williamson said. “On a nice day she would have gone around the 1:57 mark because I am sure the track was three seconds off, it was a pretty average day. There was quite a bit of rain later in the day and the track had just been resurfaced, so it was definitely against running a fast time.
“We thought we would have a shot at the mile first-up and try and get a bit of a time on her. She went 2:00.1, just 100th of a second out, so she was a bit unlucky there.
“But she went well and she will build towards getting to the Cup meeting, she is handy mare.”
