Williams Purchases More European Stayers

The Macedon Lodge stable of Lloyd Williams is set to welcome six more imported stayers from Europe in the coming months.

Lloyd Williams is hoping that his latest crop of imported European stayers can replicate Green Moon and win the Melbourne Cup.

Lloyd Williams is hoping that his latest crop of imported European stayers can replicate Green Moon and win the Melbourne Cup. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Williams already has a stable packed full of European-bred gallopers but has added four stayers from the Ballydoyle Stables of leading Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien and two from the yard of veteran trainer John Oxx.

The most high profile of Williams’s latest acquisitions is Galileo entire Foundry, who was included, by O’Brien, in the first nominations for the 2013 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and has performed well in each of his five career starts.

Foundry debuted with a dominant five and a half lengths win in a maiden at Leopardstown in November 2012 and finished an impressive second in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes (2414m) at York before finishing a credible fifth in the Group 1 Ladbrokes St Leger Stakes (2937m) at Doncaster on September 14 last year.

Another stayer joining the Macedon Lodge stable with Group 1 form is Nevis, who finished sixth in the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien Stakes (1408m) at Curragh before winning the Listed Derby Trial Stakes (2309m), while The United States has recorded three wins in four starts, including a narrow victory in the Group 3 Enterprise Stakes (2011m).

Little White Cloud has only recorded one race win from five starts but will join the Williams stable on the back on three solid performances at Group level in Ireland; finishing third in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial Stakes (2011m), second in the Gallinule Stakes (2011) and sixth in the Group 1 Irish Derby (2414m).

Both Timikar and Waxing did not race at Group level in Ireland but are joining Macedon Lodge in winning form and both recorded victories in their last starts before being purchased by Williams.

Williams does not expect any of his recently imported stayers to feature prominently during the 2014 Autumn Racing Carnival and even his leading stayers, like Green Moon, Sea Moon, Fawkner and Seville, will only be given a light autumn campaign.

I’ve got a few and I’ve got a few still to come from Europe,” Williams told TVN about his recently imported stayers.

“You won’t see much of them, they might have a run in the autumn, but that’s about it.

“They (Williams’ leading stayers) will all have a very light preparation; one run, maybe two maximum.”

Williams had six runners in the 2013 Melbourne Cup but could have almost half the field in 2014 as he searches for his fifth win as an owner in ‘the race that stops a nations’, following his victories with Just A Dash (1981), What A Nuisance (1985), Efficient (2007) and Green Moon (2012).

About The Author

Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.