By Jonny Turner
Nathan Williamson has found the key to Foveaux Strait at the perfect time.
The pacer will start in a $20,000 Winter Racing Series Final at Wyndham after he exploded away from his opposition to score a massive five and three-quarter length maiden victory at Ascot Park last week.
A solid performer prior to his winning effort, the four-year-old clearly took his game to a new level which Williamson credits to a change to the horse’s training regime.
Though Foveaux Strait steps up in grade in Thursday’s feature, his last start victory stands him in very good stead.
“We changed his training around and did a few different things with him,” Williamson said.
“And I have been a lot happier with him.”
“Leading into his last start I was a lot happier with him and he went accordingly.”
“He has trained on pretty good, too.”
“It is a step up in grade, but it is not too much different with the draw (13).”
“He will settle somewhere at some stage and we will hope for a good, genuine pace.”
Williamson also starts Ruby Seddon in Thursday’s Winter Rewards Handicap Trot.
The trotter has found her best form at the right time, running second in her last outing at Ascot Park after breaking in two prior efforts.
“She’s had four runs this time, but really just two when she has trotted and she’s run two good seconds.”
“She’s in there with a chance, she’s generally pretty honest when she does things right.”
Williamson drives the Brian Norman trained Whata Razzle Dazzle in Thursday’s rating 52-62 Winter Racing Series Final.
Before being tried as a trotter recently, the veteran didn’t get much luck in his latest pacing races.
Williamson rates the pacer a chance among a very even field.
“It is a really even line up, it wouldn’t surprise me if 8 or ten of them came out and won and he could be one of them.”
“If they went really hard and he got the right run into it, he is one of many that could win it.”
Williamson drives Tash’s Bad Girl in Thursday’s rating 35-42 Winter Racing Series Final.
Ann Marie looks one of Williamson’s biggest chances in the remaining races at Wyndham.
The filly hinted at a return to her best form with a last start fourth at Ascot Park.
The trainer starts Hangin With Hector, who was very unlucky in his last start, in the same race with Oliver Kite to drive.
Williamson also combines with Hunting Weight (race 1), Who’s Bettor (race 2) and The Optimist (race 3) on Thursday.
