Williams Welcomes Wide Draw For Uxorious

Warrnambool Trainer Matthew Williams is undeterred by the wide barrier draw Uxorious has received in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Uxorious finished sixth in the Listed Sir john Monash Stakes last start after jumping from an inside gate, and Williams feels the wide draw could in fact increase the five-year-old gelding’s chances this weekend.

“He just didn’t get a crack at them at all really in the straight,” Williams said of Uxorious’ last run.

“He went for runs twice up the inside and just got blocked, so he was never really extended.

“My gut feeling was he would have been right in the finish. He looked like he was going to be right there.

“Secret Flyer might have still got over the top of him, but I thought he would have run top-three anyway.

“He doesn’t have great tactical speed from the gates, he can be a little vulnerable if he doesn’t hit the ground running, so he’s probably better off drawing out a little bit because he’s not going to get dictated to like what happened last start.”

Uxorious will come up against similar opposition to last start’s Sir John Monash Stakes, including Mid Summer Music, Second Effort, Secret Flyer, Rue Maple and Gold Trail.

“You wouldn’t say it’s much stronger than the John Monash and if he had have had some luck in running there he would have been right in it, so you would expect him to be right round the mark again this Saturday,” Williams said.

Uxorious will be ridden by leading Victorian jockey Dean Yendell in Saturday’s race.

About The Author