By Jonny Turner
If his drives can hold their form from Show Day then Tim Williams will be set for success at Addington on Friday night.
The reinsman has a book of seven chances, including I Dream of Jeanie, who dashed to victory on the last day of the New Zealand Cup meeting.
The Sam Smolenski trained trotter steps out in race 2, which does not look any harder than the assignment she was handed in her last start.
“She looks pretty well placed on paper,” Williams said.
“She is back to the stand, but other than Cup Day when she got it completely wrong, before that she had been really safe all of the time.”
“As long as she gets away at the start she has got to be a great chance in what is an even field.”
“She showed on Show Day if she gets a good enough trip she is very quick.”
In race 5, Williams teams up with Spellbound, who was second behind Beyond Words in the listed Sires Stakes Southern Mares Classic on Show Day.
The reinsman expects her effort to get close to such a progressive mare to prove to be outstanding form.
“She looks well placed, I think that Show Day form will stack up well.”
“Beyond Words trialled up well this week and she has gone north for the Queen Of Hearts.”
“I think that form should stand her in pretty good stead in what looks a winnable race for her.”
Williams again combines with Avana, who must turn the tables on stablemates Braeview Kelly and La Rosa in race 4, a heat of the Sires Stakes Fillies Series.
The three-year-old was fourth, just over two lengths from the Mark Jones trained pair, in the latest southern heat of the series at Ashburton.
Williams was pleased with Avana’s effort, but expects her to be more competitive on Friday night.
“I think it was only the last 100m she got a little bit tired at Ashburton, but she had only flown back from Auckland the week before.”
“Now she has had a wee bit of time under her belt at home again and Hayden [Cullen] has been really happy with the way she has trained this week.”
“The draw is a little bit iffy, but she has got the main dangers outside her and hopefully we can settle in front of them and stay in front of them.”
“But, obviously, Braeview Kelly is the one to catch with the amount of speed she showed at Ashburton.”
Williams drives the Regan Todd trained Canstar after they also won on Show Day.
Stepping out again over 2600m in race 8 helps the mare’s chances of making it back to back victories.
“Regan has been picking out the right races for her.”
“2600m should suit her and she is a five-race winner, so she slots in pretty well.”
“On what she did on Show Day she shouldn’t be far away.”
Williams drives Majestic Chick in race 7 after she ran fourth behind I Dream Of Jeannie on Show Day.
The reinsman saw enough on the race replay to suggest she could be his threat when he drives her for the first time in race 7.
“On her replay, she was the obvious one that made up a lot of ground and wasn’t on the fence, in what was a strong field.”
“I thought it was a pretty good catch drive to pick up and she is definitely a winning chance.”
Williams also drives Majorca in race 1 and Serg Blanco in race 6 on Friday night.
