Williams backs Pericles as the bright choice for All Aged Stakes
Craig Kerry
When Craig Williams was looking for an autumn replacement for Bay Brightside, the horse he piloted to eight group 1 wins over 1400m and 1600m, Pericles was his first choice.
Luckily, Williams also chose another Godolphin star, Tom Kitten.
Luckily for Williams, both gave him group 1 wins and they did not clash.
That could change in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday and Williams was happy to be back with the Bjorn Baker-trained Pericles, especially after Futurity winner George Ryder Stakes and the Bjorn Baker-trained Perikles secured a good draw at gate one following unlucky runs from wide fences at Doncaster.
Pericles looked like an even better ride on Friday when All-Star Mile winner Tom Kitten reared up at the gates and sat with blinders on for the first time during a barrier practice. The Anthony and Sam Freedman stable reported that Tom Kitten was uninjured, but stewards said he would need to undergo an examination for the race on Saturday morning.
Regardless, Williams was excited about the opportunity to give Pericles a $10 TAB chance, an economical run, after strong finishes of third to Autumn Glow and fifth to Sheza Alibi from poor positions in her last two starts.
Williams said an inside draw was the key to his win over Sir Delius in last week’s Queen Elizabeth Stakes, which he hopes will again prove crucial for another horse he has been with throughout the autumn.
“I needed a replacement for Mr Brightside. Sir Delius was staying in Sydney so there would be no problem there,” Williams said of riding Pericles.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had that horse in 1,400-mile races over the past four seasons. I needed to find a replacement and Pericles was the first person I went to.”
“Apparently with Ben Melham being booked, I jumped on Tom Kitten at the same time and I had two very good horses going there.
“Pericles was fantastic. The scenario coming on Saturday is if he’s had a good fortnight then he’ll get the right run. He’s a great horse over 1400 metres, he won group 1 here. [Futurity]It goes on any surface and goes really well.
“I think if we had that barrier in the last two races it would have been different runs and we would have had better results, I have no doubt about that.”
“Last start he anchored a little late after the run, so I like him until 1400 metres.
“It’s a very deep race though, a very good edition of the All Aged Stakes but he deserves to be there and will be one of the main chances.”
The Victorian champion jockey also has the opportunity to add to his 90 group 1 wins in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) where he rides the Ben Brisbourne-trained Grinzinger Heart ($18).
Williams suggested the filly be given a chance in Champagne after winning the group 2 VRC Sires over 1400 meters at Flemington on March 7. Brisbourne also has Salann ($19) looking to get his first group 1 win in the race.
Williams said of Grinzinger Heart: “He has a very light race, he will get better as he gets experience and this journey will really improve him.”
“I saw Ben on Wednesday and I said to him, ‘God, I hope you put me on the right horse.’ He has two nice horses in the race, so let’s hope so.
“He’ll have to do a lot of running, he’s a naturally fast horse. Even though he won, he couldn’t handle the last race day, so he can do things better.”
“For Ben, there was a gap between runs and it’s still growing. I’m excited to see how he progresses because he needs to improve to win this race but he has the ability and the advantage to do it.”
Gibbons hopes new approach brings return to Group 1
Dylan Gibbons is feeling better than ever as he chases a return to the group 1 winners’ circle in the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.
While Gibbons knows Southend needs to lift weights to beat Sires’ Products Stakes winner Campione D’Italia, he feels the unbeaten Palace Pier colt has more to give.
Gibbons won group 1s as an apprentice with Explosive Jack by longshot in the 2023 Sydney Cup and Kalapour in the 2024 Tancred Stakes.
A shoulder injury late in 2024 hampered his bid for a top spot in Sydney, leaving him with little chance of a genuine group 1 finish.
Now with the opportunity to board the $7.50 Hope Southend, the 24-year-old felt well-positioned to grab the opportunity with both hands.
“The body is probably the best it’s ever been,” said Gibbons, who is 175 centimeters tall.
“I’m a little more involved with this diet now and I’ve found a sweet spot where I’m really on the cusp of recovery.
“I’ve learned how to fuel myself in the best way possible and stay light, so physically and mentally it’s probably the happiest I’ve ever been with it, and the frustrating thing is I wish I’d done that from the beginning.
“I was a little bit heavier for the most part, but I can still ride most weekends at 53, 152 pounds, so I’m in a good spot.”
Gibbons rode Southend from last to first on his 1300m debut at Newcastle before victory in the group 3 Baillieu Handicap (1400m).
“The way he accelerated at Newcastle was very different to Rosehill,” he said.
“He looked very ordinary at Rosehill. The only horse he had to beat was right in front of him and he felt like he was doing a bit of track work.”
“I know a few people questioned the time he spent out of the race, but I don’t think he was in the best of shape. I think he was a bit of an ordinary colt that day and won the way he wanted to.”
“I’m not denying the Slipper-Sires frontrunners will be in superb form, but our man is two for two. He’s taking them now to see where he’s at. His work shows he’s still doing as well as he has from the start.”
