The autumn features are likely to be run without Macedon Lodge stars with leading owner Lloyd Williams favouring giving his A-graders light campaigns with a view to the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival. Williams says he and private trainer Robert Hickmott are unlikely to be represented in the autumn majors with his big-name performers likely to have one run at the most.
“(There are) no plans for autumn,” Williams said via text. “One run (then) spell, some will have no runs. (We’re) not going to any of the big races. It’s too hard to win in the Spring if you have a major autumn prep.”
Williams is yet to decide whether any of his big three – Green Moon, Fawkner and Sea Moon – will be among those who have an autumn cameo.
Williams had a bigger-than-usual presence at the Melbourne Festival of Racing earlier this year, starting three horses in the $1 million Darley Australian Cup – Tanby (third), Green Moon (fourth) and Mourayan (eighth).
The latter then continued on to Sydney where he won the Group 1 Sydney Cup.
Mourayan was one of six horses Williams started in the Emirates Melbourne Cup, finishing 15th. BMW Caulfield Cup winner Fawkner was the best of Williams’ Melbourne Cup brigade, finishing sixth, while Seville (12th), Sea Moon (13th), Masked Marvel (18th) and Green Moon (21st) were Macedon Lodge’s other runners. (Racing Victoria)