Big race jockey Craig Williams is expecting the Group 1 $750,000 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington on Saturday to be a tricky tactical battle.
Delectation, red and yellow colours, beats Chautauqua, the grey, in the 2015 Darley Classic at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Williams will ride the Chris Waller trained Delectation in the seven horse weight for age Lightning and concedes that the backmarker will have to have everything go his way to record another win down the Flemington straight.
“We always say more horses is more traffic for a horse that gets back, but then when you have a small, select field it can be quite tricky and can be like a game of chess,” Williams told AAP.
Delectation has raced five times down the Flemington straight and claimed his biggest prize to date with an upset win over Chautauqua in the Group 1 $1m Darley Classic (1200m) at Flemington during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
James McDonald was aboard Delectation that day and had to weave a passage through the field before gaining a nose victory over the odds on favourite.
Williams is having is first race day ride on Delectation but got a good feel of the Shamardal four year old in a 800m jump out at Flemington last Friday against Chautauqua and stablemate Japonisme.
“I was impressed with the way he felt and relaxed in his jump-out,” Williams said.
“I’ve now got a feel of his motor, his action, his attitude and down the straight which was a simulation for his race.
“It gave me a really good understanding of him.”
“Noticing from when he was my opposition in his replays he’s a more seasoned and more mature horse now.”
Waller will also saddle up Japonisme who also pulled off a surprise win down the Flemington straight in the Group 1 $500,000 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Derby Day last November.
In early betting for the Black Caviar Lightning at Ladbrokes.com.au Delectation is listed at $8 while Japonisme is marked as a $9.50 chance.
The John O‘Shea trained Exosphere heads the market order at $2.50, fractionally ahead of Team Hawkes’ Chautauqua at $2.60.
Black Caviar Lightning market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.50 Exosphere, $2.60 Chautauqua, $8 Delectation, $8.50 Terravista, $9.50 Japonisme, $26 Kinglike, $71 Va Pensiero.
