Dwayne Dunn has taken out the feature race on Winter Finals Day at Flemington but his premiership rival Craig Williams stole the show with five winners.
Williams started Saturday five behind Dunn in the Melbourne jockeys’ premiership but has pegged the deficit back to just one with six meetings of the season remaining.
Dunn guided Iggimacool to victory in the $150,000 Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) which keeps his nose in front as he chases a first Melbourne premiership.
Williams knew he had a strong book of rides and made it count, starting with victory in the Silver Bowl Series Final on Lady Selkirk.
His second win came aboard Godolphin colt Trenchant who lifted in the final 200m of the Listed Taj Rossi Series Final to win by a nose.
Ruettiger staved off a challenge from the Darren Weir-trained Voodoo Lad in the Listed All Victorian Sprint Series Final before the star jockey finished the meeting in style with back-to-back wins on Lord Von Costa in the Listed AR Creswick Series Final and Telopea in the Leilani Series Final.
Williams is chasing a fifth Melbourne premiership and first since he shared the title with Damien Oliver in 2008-2009.
“It was a great day,” Williams said.
“It looked like it was going to be pretty good on paper and I was lucky enough to have the horses to be able to do it.
“Trenchant really put his heart on the line for me. He was awesome. Lord Von Costa relaxed really well and gave a good kick. And I was very confident with Telopea and also Lady Selkirk.”
Williams said he needed a big day in his bid to peg back Dunn.
Telopea cruised up in the straight before going on to win by a half length, giving premier trainer Weir his third winner for the day and his 332nd for the season nationwide.
Master Of Arts, Weir’s second winner on Saturday, brought up the trainer’s 100th metropolitan winner in Victoria for the season.
Only Lee Freedman, David Hayes and Peter Moody have previously reached 100 wins in Melbourne in a season.
