Craig Williams is the new rider for impressive Warwick Farm winner Swing Vote when she lines up in Saturday’s Listed $120,000 Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Preview (Fillies) (1000m) at Caulfield.
Craig Williams will ride Swing Vote (pictured) in the Blue Diamond Preview. Photo by: Steve Hart
The Gai Waterhouse trained Swing Vote scored first up for stable rider Tommy Berry over 1000m at Warwick Farm on January 5 but Williams will take over when the Northern Meteor filly ventures south in her lead up to the Group 1 $1m Patinack Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 23.
Berry was quite impressed with the debut win of Swing Vote with the filly showing more early speed than the in-form jockey anticipated when she led all of the way to score comfortably.
“She didn’t show that sort of pace in her trial, but she’s had a lot of barrier practice and really sprinted away from them today,” said Berry.
“She’s not overly big, but she’s very strong.”
Williams will be back into full swing at Caulfield on Saturday after an interrupted holiday which saw him ride at the Gold Coast on Magic Millions day on January 12.
But the top jockey’s day started off with disappointment when the $2m Jeep Magic Millions 2yo Classic favourite Assail was a race morning scratching because of a hoof injury.
And then he was out of luck on $1m Gold Coast Magic Millions 3yo Guineas’ favourite Sizzling who ran a mighty race to be beaten a head by Saluter after jumping from the outside gate of the sixteen horse field.
Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Miracles Of Life will also make her Caulfield debut after winning by a combined margin of fourteen and a half lengths in her two Adelaide wins.
Morpehettville trainer Daniel Clarken will be closer to making a decision if connections will pay a late entry of $55,000 for the Blue Diamond when she runs on the weekend and a decision on who will be riding the Not A Single Doubt filly is pending.
“We plan to go to Melbourne and test the water,” Clarken said.
“She’ll either have to win or be super competitive for us to pay up.”
“I know she’s run time but she’s still got to have some real pressure put on her, then we’ll see what happens. There are some very nice young horses getting around.”
Apprentice Lauren Stojakovic has done a great job steering Miracles Of Life to her two wins but could be replaced when the filly goes to Melbourne with Clarken being swamped with jockeys looking to obtain the prize ride.
Nominations for the fillies Blue Diamond Preview have been extended until ten o’clock tomorrow morning when only twelve fillies were in the original entries which included Peter Moody’s Caulfield winner Diamond Glow, Ballarat winner Mystical Miss and first starter Bells A Ringing.
