Chris Roots looks at racing’s biggest talking points
It is hard to find a better person in racing than Craig Williams, who accepted a sixth Scobie Beasley Medal from his latest mission in Ukraine on Saturday night.
On the track, Williams has won 10 Melbourne premierships, but beyond it he continues to travel to a war zone to help the Ukrainian people.
It meant he couldn’t be there on Saturday night, but it gave his father Allan, who regularly drives to Sydney when he rides there, the chance to accept the medal.
“I thought he did a marvellous job,” Williams senior said, summing up his son’s year.
“Craig worked really hard and of course, when he realized he could win, he worked even harder. I think, at the finish. I’ve never seen him ride better than over the last month.
“The homework that he puts in to secure the best rides, he always does the one percenters, so that’s never changed.
“We’re all proud of what he’s done. He’s got a great CV now, hasn’t he?”
It was great to see Racing.com ask his fellow jockeys asked what they were doing 20 years ago when Williams won his first Scobie.
Williams will be back to ride Mr Brightside in a jumpout on Friday. He was delighted that his father accepted the award.
“I wanted to be my father when I was a kid growing up,” he told racing.com.
“If it wasn’t for my Mum and Dad, my brothers, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Incredibly honoured to receive the Scobie Breasley Medal at last night’s Victorian Racing Awards.
Unfortunately, Larysa and I weren’t able to attend, as we are currently in Ukraine 🇺🇦 continuing to support the people of Ukraine and their fight for freedom.
To receive an award… pic.twitter.com/BFoP1tiYeH
— Craig Williams (@CWilliamsJockey) August 9, 2026
Watch out for Waller’s maidens this week
Chris Waller is set to roll out Australia’s best maiden this week, Central Europe, with echoes of Aeliana and Autumn Glow.
This time two years ago, the two stars of the Australian turf were still maidens, with Aeliana winning a three-year-old fillies’ maiden on August 14, 2024, which Autumn Glow was scratched from. She beat a handy field that included Diddle Dumpling and Gangsta Granny.
Autumn Glow commenced her career on Rosebud Day two years ago, winning a 1300m BM72.
Central Europe probably won’t be asked to carry the 63kg in Wednesday’s maiden at Canterbury, but could instead be seen in the Rosebud at Rosehill on Saturday.
Last year, Sixties won his maiden on the Wednesday of this corresponding week.
Waller is never in a rush with his young horses, and it pays to follow what he runs in midweek maidens in the coming weeks.
Dunn at the apex of harness racing
Champion New Zealand driver Dexter Dunn will take some beating for the biggest racing achievement by someone from this part of the world after winning the Hambletonian at the Meadowlands on the weekend.
Dunn has made a home in the US for a number of years and won the equivalent of the Kentucky Derby behind Apex in a driving finish.
“This one means the world,” Dunn told Racenet. “I grew up in NZ watching this race and all the great drivers who won it and now to win it myself is a dream come true.
“We’ve got some great races over here, but this is the most talked about, I guess you’d call it the Kentucky Derby of harness racing.
“It’s race I’ve tried to win so many times, but never had much luck with bad post positions (barrier draws). Today I had the right draw and the right horse.”
Dunn has been in the US since 2018 and is considered one of the best drivers in the world. He drove more than 2000 winners before leaving New Zealand because of betting controversy, which he was later cleared of.
Flindell a true pro
You had to feel for Sydney’s racecaller Darren Flindell as Puntin opened up a big margin over the Randwick mile on Saturday. At the halfway point, Flindell struggled to get the call out, and his effort in the final 800m was tremendous as he struggled to breathe. As Puntin struggled late, Flindell lifted, and he managed to get The Mona Lisa out as the winner. The professional in Flindell saw him re-record the race after the last, so that the call reflects the race.
THE MONA LISA is in form! 🔥
She chases down Puntin to make it 3 wins from her last 4 starts for Team Cave & Andrew Calder! 🤩@aus_turf_club @racing_nsw pic.twitter.com/H89Qkv0hed
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 8, 2026
The hits and misses from the weekend
Hits
Ninja
Michael Freedman had the patience to wait for Ninja to mature. He brought him through the Brisbane summer as a three-year-old, where he finished up as Magic Millions Guineas runner-up before winning a Hobartville Stakes in the autumn, but that only hinted at his talent. The slow build is about to increase speed after the Missile Stakes success to start his most significant preparation, which has a clear aim in the Everest.
“He’s a beautiful horse to ride and has come back as the finished product,” jockey Tommy Berry said. “I’m pretty excited with what’s to come.”
Blake Shinn
Two Saturdays back from a badly broken leg, and two winning doubles for Shinn.
He took the extra time to make sure he had fully recovered and had confidence in his body and it has the Melbourne Cup and Golden Slipper-winning jockey quickly reestablished him at the top of the riding ranks. He was brilliant leading all-the-way on Davida, but the win for his partner Lucy Yeomans on Changing Colours at Caulfield was extra special.
“It means a lot, and for her to be given a horse of this calibre so early in her career,” said Shinn, deflecting attention Yeomans.
“You’ve got to deliver when you get opportunities like this, Lucy has done a great job, and hopefully there’s more to come.”
Queensland stewards
They are always interesting protests when a leader ducks out the way, Queen Olympias, did at the 100m at Eagle Farm on Saturday. She appears to duck away from the fence as it changed to red, and crossing the lines of chasers, she had put a couple of lengths with her turn of foot.
Mark Du Plessius had to straighten her after going sidelines, which allowed Run Like A Girl to get closer than she should have.
Many would have thought the protest should have been upheld but chief steward Josh Adams got it right.
“Stewards also considered the ½ length margin, proximity to the finish line and how both runners finished the race off over the concluding stages and could not be satisfied that had this incident not occurred that RUN LIKE A GIRL would have finished ahead of QUEEN OLYMPIAS at the conclusion of the event,” the stewards report read.
Misses
Columbia Blue
He only just failed to run Exit Fee to close the day at Randwick. The pair were together in the run, and coming to the turn, they were separated by about half a length. Exit Fee got a run through the field to the inside as Adam Hyeronimus looked to get to the outside, giving up a couple of lengths by the 300m mark when Columbia Blue got clear running and charged down the centre to be beaten a head and a long head, which left backers deflated.
Bangkok Hottie
It might have been a Midway, but three-year-olds taking on older horses this early in the season are always at a big disadvantage. Bangkok Hottie was sent out a $2.10 favourite despite drawing the outside gate. The Too Darn Hot filly was trapped four-wide and was brave but couldn’t match it with her older rivals. It wasn’t a bad return, but she was probably overplayed in betting.
One for the punters
The speedy Cavalry Girl continued on her winning way at Caulfield on Saturday. Her style takes luck out of the equation, and she might be ready to step into Group company early in the spring.
One from the stewards
Adam Hyeronimus made it clear Puntin would have been hard to beat if he settled on Saturday. Puntin was brave but grabbed close to the line.
“He said after riding Puntin along in the initial stages to comply with his instructions, the gelding commenced to over-race and, with the blinkers applied for the first time, the horse refused to settle and he was unable to restrain Puntin to set a more sustainable tempo,” the stewards’ report read.
One for the bookies
For the second week in a row, a Chris Waller short-priced went down in the staying contest in Sydney. Tazima had put a hat trick of wins together during the winter, coming through his grades. However, the step to the open company found him out. His wins were on soft tracks, so maybe wait until he gets on them to back him again.
