Craig Williams is looking forward to reuniting with Hong Kong Cup-bound Criterion for the first time since the autumn.
Williams will head to trainer David Hayes’ country Victorian property on Tuesday to give the horse a work-out with Criterion and fellow Cup hopeful Lucia Valentina to leave the following Monday.
Criterion
The Hong Kong Cup (2000m) is one of four Group One races on December 13, International day at Sha Tin.
Criterion finished third in the race last year at his first start for Hayes and his training partner Tom Dabernig.
He won Sydney’s richest race, the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April with Williams aboard while Michael Walker rode him in three spring starts for a Caulfield Stakes win and minor placings in the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
“David is very happy with his preparation and the way that he’s going,” Williams told radio station RSN.
“When you look at the field this year, it’s not as strong as the Cup has been in other years.
“But most importantly we’ve seen Criterion compete in Hong Kong and he likes getting over there. He’s had a rock-solid preparation this past 18 months and I’m looking forward to representing Australia.”
It will be Criterion’s second trip to Hong Kong this year with the horse finishing third in the QEII Cup after his Sydney triumph.
Williams, who won Saturday’s Group One Railway Stakes in Perth on the Chris Waller-trained Good Project, will be doing even more travelling in the next month with appearances at Doomben in Brisbane either side of the Hong Kong international raceday.
He will compete in an Origin Jockeys Series in Queensland with riders representing Queensland, Victoria, New Zealand and NSW taking part over four Saturdays in December.
Williams will represent Victoria on two of the days.
The other riders include Queenslanders Glen Boss and Jim Byrne, Tye Angland (NSW), and Opie Bosson and Damian Browne (New Zealand).
“It worked out well we didn’t have to do the four Saturdays in a row because I wouldn’t have been able to do so. But because they were quite flexible with availability, I was very keen,” Williams said.
“I thought it was a very good concept.”
One jockey representing each state will be randomly allocated a ride in the specific races from the four market leaders after weights are declared.
