No stranger to international success, Craig Williams is looking to enhance his reputation on the world stage even further in the coming weeks.
Williams will be riding in Japan for Katsumi Yoshida over the next two months with the stint broken up by a couple of trips to England.
He partnered Ortensia to her victory in the Al Quoz Sprint at the Dubai World Cup meeting in March and will be reunited with the mare at Royal Ascot on June 19.
His services will also be required for Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden who is scheduled to run in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on June 2.
After missing the winning ride on Dunaden at Flemington, Williams was aboard when the French horse claimed the Hong Kong Vase at the International meeting in December.
But first he has some key assignments in Japan starting next week.
“I’ll be riding Alfredo in the NHK Mile on Sunday and then there are a lot of other big races coming up,” Williams said.
“There’s the Oaks and the Derby followed by the Yasuda Kinen.
“I ride for Mr Yoshida and I think I have about three options for the Oaks and two for the Derby.
“Japan is fantastic, it’s a great place.”
The only drawback for Williams is the language.
“I know about two phrases but luckily I have a full time interpreter,” he said.
“It’s a very hard language to learn.”
While he was in Japan at the end of last year, Williams claimed the country’s biggest two-year-old race aboard Alfredo.
Yoshida is well known to Australians as the boss of racing and breeding operation Northern Farm and the part-owner of multiple Australian Group One winner Mosheen.
At the recent Easter Yearling Sale, Yoshida paid $750,000 to buy into the family of Sydney pin-up mare More Joyous,.
He secured the first filly from Tuesday Joy, a half sister to Sunday Joy, the dam of More Joyous.
Williams got the taste for international Group One racing in 2000 when he went to England to ride for Mick Channon and linked with the brilliant Tobougg.
