Williams team gathering momentum for Autumn features

One month on from their Perth Cup (2400m) success, trainers Grant and Alana Williams have quickly turned their attention to upcoming feature races.

Grant and Alana Williams’ will welcome back stable stars Alsephina and Keshi Boom back to work next Tuesday, as well as recent acquisition Western Empire.

Alsephina finished second in the Railway Stakes (1600m) last November, while Keshi Boom won the WA Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m) a week earlier.

Western Empire rejoined the Williams team late last year, after they purchased him in an Inglis online sale for $150,000.

Grant Williams said he was hopeful the talented trio could deliver the in-form stable more feature race success.

“Alsephina and Western Empire will be aimed up at the Belmont Weight-For-Age races,” Williams told The Races WA.

“We could look to take them back to Melbourne for some races in the early spring.

“Alsephina is really good and Western Empire is the same horse when we trained him before.

“Keshi Boom will hopefully come back and stay on the trajectory she was on last campaign.

“She takes everything in her stride and hopefully we can look at something over east with her.”

As well as the Belmont features, the Williams team look set to target upcoming Pinjarra and Bunbury features with Crescent City and Villeins.

Last start Coolgardie Cup (1760m) winner Crescent City finished fourth behind Live To Tell in his second trial for the preparation on Monday.

Williams said he would keep the six-year-old to shorter trips this campaign.

“His trial was good enough and the blinkers will only improve him,” he said.

“He’s effective over the 1400m so I think we will stay at the shorter trips with him.

“Races like the Pinjarra Classic and Old Comrade Stakes will suit him.”

Boulder Cup (2100m) winner Villeins finished four lengths behind Prize Pursuit in his 950m trial on Monday.

Williams said he would aim the gelding at races like the South West Cup and Pinjarra Cup, races he won with Casino Seventeen last year.