Racehorse TALK

I'm open to offers - Williams
Brad Waters (racenet)
Sunday, 12 April 2009

Craig Williams, fresh from a winning treble at Randwick, is desperate to link full-time with a major stable.

Williams, whose Easter Saturday haul included the Group I Galaxy on the David Hayes-trained Nicconi, said he would be open to offers to again become a retained jockey.

“I would love to be a full-time stable jockey for a trainer,” he revealed.

“I love test driving all the horses. “I feel like I achieve a lot more and enjoy that a lot more than just jumping on and riding winners.

“I enjoy the ride of getting the horses to the races and winning much more.”

Williams joined Hayes as a full-time stable jockey when he returned from Hong Kong before the trainer suggested the rider broaden his horizons and chase more outside rides.

“David and I had a meeting and discussed where we are at,” Williams said.

“David still supports me and I’ve ridden three Group I winners for David in the autumn so it’s been great.

“It was one of those things. We weren’t making mistakes but the results weren’t coming but David still supports me 100 percent.”

Williams believes trainers who employ stable jockeys are getting superior results to those who book freelance riders.

“If you have a look at the most successful stables around, they employ stable jockeys,” he said.

“They know how the trainer likes to train, how the trainer likes their horses ridden and the jockey knows where the horse is in their preparation so they gain an advantage.

“The Snowden stable is having success and Lee Freedman is leading the premiership and he employs a stable jockey. It just proves that it is very effective having a stable jockey in my view.

“But it’s not the Australian way. I don’t know why but it’s the Australian training culture. Maybe it will change.”