With a strong affinity for red and white as much in racing as AFL, Ken Williams today gets top billing with the best final Flemington spring carnival program ever and the top Rosehill Gardens card (which doesn’t come off such a strong foundation).
Usually, the fourth day of the Flemington meeting is worthwhile if not outstanding, but this year it tops the previous three – even the Victoria Derby and Melbourne Cup programs – with its “Champions” suite of group 1s over 1200m, 1600m and 2000m.
Everest winner Giga Kick will take on Nature Strip down the flemington straight.Credit:Getty
The Champions Sprint features one of the world’s best, Nature Strip; the Stakes has Anamoe, which is currently Australia’s finest horse; and the Mile has Private Eye, which is very good with promise of being better. Surely the fourth day has not reached these heights previously, but are the favourites good gambles?
Earlier this week, “Kenso Ken” (the title was earned around Doncaster Avenue, which adjoins Randwick racecourse) died at the age of 93. Thus, the gusto of the Swans victory anthem will require a new lead singer.
Apart from my family, nobody had known me for longer, going back for over 70 years. Williams hailed from Melbourne and remained to work in stables opposite the Doncaster Hotel as an integral member of the team under trainer Fil Allotta, who prepared the offspring of the great broodmare Dark Jewel for the Tait family, whose silks were red with a white cap.
Swans star Jude Bolton with Kenny Williams after their 2012 grand final win.Credit:Paul Rovere
The best was Baguette, who would have tested Nature Strip, but his half-brother, Cabochon, was superior to any of the milers today at Flemington or Rosehill’s Five Diamonds.
Likewise, their half-sister, Heirloom, would have been too strong for the fillies and mares in the Hot Danish – a mere $500,000 race at Rosehill where cash has been sprayed like confetti on the Five Diamonds ($2 million) and the $1 million Golden Gift for green two-year-olds.
Not to be denied in the prizemoney extravaganza, Nature Strip contests a $3 million straight-six dash to regain status after going down in The Everest to the youthful Giga Kick, which is taking him on again.
Nature Strip was run ragged in The Everest. More touch is required by James McDonald, who currently is reading the Flemington ebbs and flows superbly. But just how good is Giga Kick, and what about Manikato Stakes winner Bella Nipotina?
J-Mac’s expertise will again be required on Anamoe, who has been superior but not dominant over most of his rivals in his four successive group 1 wins this preparation, particularly I’m Thunderstruck, which is again out to stretch him.
Of course, J-Mac is justifiably being compared with George Moore, who was often legged up into the saddle by Williams, who was passionate about horses but not as verbose about them as The Bloods, whose talent scouts spotted his enthusiasm behind the goal posts when a major was kicked.
In his early Sydney days, Williams had broken into song for the Swans in the Doncaster. They didn’t sing team songs thenwith the same verve as he did when the Swans went from strength to strength. Alas, he was chided about the game drawing less attendance at Trumper Park – the major venue – than a bagpipe recital at Kensington Oval.
But his love of the game and those who played it never abated. Once questioned by me about the best Swan, Williams rattled off about 40 players in a minute but settled on Paul Kelly.
Characters abounded in my time but those who were also gentlemen, like “Kenso Ken”, were thin on the ground. Now the mantle of someone who knew me in short pants goes to his wife, Yvonne.
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