Big race jockey Craig Williams will be free to ride Tosen Stardom in the Group 1 $500,000 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on September 17 after getting the length of his careless riding suspension reduced.
Craig Williams, above, will be free to ride Tosen Stardom in the George Main Stakes at Randwick. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Williams’ ten meeting suspension for causing interference at Moonee Valley last Saturday was reduced to six following his appeal to the RAD Board today.
Williams can ride on Makybe Diva Stakes Race Day at Flemington on Saturday before his suspension kicks in at midnight and he will be free to ride the Japanese import next Saturday.
“I was aggrieved by the suspension from Moonee Valley so that is why I elected to appeal the matter at the RAD Board,” Williams told racing.com.
“I was given a fair hearing and although they sustained the charge, the penalty was varied and I’m delighted to be able to ride next Saturday.”
“I’ve never ridden the horse but I’ve watched replays of his runs in Japan and also the races he competed in up in Sydney and he looks an exciting prospect.”
“His effort in the Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes was full of merit and one would imagine he is only going to improve with more racing.”
Trainer Darren Weir had originally targeted the Group 1 $500,000 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 24 as Tosen Stardom’s next Melbourne Spring Carnival outing but changed tactics after the Deep Impact stallion finished an unlucky fourth to Awsome Rock in the Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
Weir said that he would find out at what level Tosen Stardom is at when he takes on the glamour mare Winx in the George Main Stakes and get a good guide if they head to the Group 1 $3m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 15 or the Group 1 $3m Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22.
Australian Bloodstock bought into Tosen Stardom at the end of the Sydney Autumn Carnival and managing director Jamie Lovett is keen to line against the Chris Waller star in the George Main Stakes.
“Darren Weir advised if we are trying to look at securing a stallion deal, it might be worth having a throw at the stumps because Winx is the biggest name in racing and if we happen to claim her scalp, he would be a G1 winner over a mile at weight-for-age and did it beating the best around,” Lovett told Racing Victoria.
“If we get walloped by Winx in the George Main there is not much point thinking we can beat her in the Cox Plate.”
“That is not to say I think that would happen, I think he is in great form and will run a nice race in the George Main Stakes.
“But it gives us a chance to see where we are really at compared to the benchmark.
“It is a bit of a fork in the road as following it we can either press on towards the Cox Plate or maybe head to the Caulfield Cup or even lower our sights if we have to.”
Tosen Stardom performed well during the 2015 Sydney Autumn Carnival when second to Contributer in the Group 1 $500,000 Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill but was denied a start in this year’s Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April after suffering a bleeding attack on the tracks.
Weir was then selected to prepare Tosen Stardom for the 2016 Spring Carnival.
Tosen Stardom is marked at $17 for both the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate at Ladbrokes.com.au.
