Craig Williams’ winning run continued on Monday when he was named the Victorian Racing Personality of the Year.
The headline jockey leaves Australia on Tuesday to ride in Japan for six weeks fresh from taking out the Group One Winterbottom Stakes on Ortensia and Group Two WA Guineas victory aboard King Saul in Perth on Saturday.
On of his first assignments will be aboard Tosen Jordan in Sunday’s $6.5 million Japan Cup.
Tosen Jordan is one of the leading contenders following his win in last month’s Tenno Sho (Autumn) in Tokyo.
Williams upstaged the Black Caviar team of trainer Peter Moody and Luke Nolen to take the award for a second time and join Bart Cummings as a dual recipient .
Racing Victoria handicapper Greg Carpenter and jockey Kerrin McEvoy were other nominees for the award.
The affable Williams had a stellar spring carnival that included victories in the Caulfield Cup on Southern Speed and the Cox Plate on Pinker Pinker.
He was denied the chance to become the first jockey to complete a unique spring treble when a careless riding suspension cost him the mount on French-trained stayer Dunaden in the Melbourne Cup.
Other spring highlights for Williams included the Group Three Geelong Cup aboard Dunaden and four winners on Sandown Classic day including the Group Two Sandown Guineas on So Swift.
A four-time Scobie Breasley Medallist (2006-2009) and dual winner of the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership (2005-06 and 2008-09), Williams will return from Japan to ride at Magic Millions meeting at the Gold Coast on January 14 before resuming in Melbourne.
The Victorian Racing Personality Of The Year Award is chosen by members of the Victorian Racing Media Association.
Williams wasn’t able to accept the award in person as he was getting ready to leave for Japan and was represented by his manager Mark Guest.
Japan has been a happy hunting ground for Williams in past stints winning the Tenno Sho (Spring) aboard Jaguar Mail in May 2010 and the NHK Mile Cup on Grand Prix Boss in May this year.
AAP TURF
