Photo by Edward Whitaker, Racing Post
It’s almost a given that Evan Williams will send out at least a half-century of winners every season. In fact, you have to go back 15 years to find the last campaign when he didn’t reach that figure.
The difference now is that the Llancarfan team numbers some serious performers including Esprit Du Large and Silver Streak, who have major Cheltenham Festival targets and serious each-way aspirations.
“The reality is we have some really nice horses now. But it doesn’t matter how good a trainer or jockey you are, if you don’t get sent these nice types there is nothing you can do. I have been very fortunate to have many superb owners including the Ruckers who have put a lot into the game and deserve their success.
“A trainer can’t do anything without good owners. They are the bedrock of the sport and I don’t think they get the support they deserve – racing must not keep taking them all for granted.”
The added pressure of training Cheltenham fancies does not appear to faze Williams who said: “Pressure is when you have a horse that has broken down twice and you have all had your brains on it in a selling hurdle. Training good horses for the Champion Hurdle and Arkle is a joy.
“I will tell you one thing this game puts some manners on you. As soon as you think you have got it beat it will jump up and bite you. It is not the hardest thing in the world, we are not reinventing the wheel.”
However, he does admit to feeling pressure on occasion. “When my daughter Isabel rides it frightens me to death. It is wonderful when it all goes right but the enjoyment is tempered by nerves.”
With plenty to look forward to, Williams is excited about the coming weeks as his team go forward in red-hot form with nine of his last 30 runners winning.
Annsam
5 b g Black Sam Bellamy – Bathwick Annie
He is a lovely progressive young horse who seems to be going the right way. He has had four runs this term since winning his maiden hurdle at Wincanton in May, all in handicap hurdles, and he has done really well winning the last two at Taunton and Catterick. He has risen from a mark of 113 to 127 for those two wins but he can still be competitive off his new mark. He is a fine, big individual, and although we will keep him to hurdles for the time being he will make a proper chaser in time.
Ballinsker
5 b g Court Cave – Brownie Points
He won a point-to-point ten months ago at Oldcastle in Ireland quite impressively and we were delighted he joined us. On his first outing he won by six lengths at Ludlow. We then took the decision to up him in class last time at Haydock but he found it tough, although he still finished a decent fourth behind Thebannerkingrebel. Fingers crossed he can keep going the right way.
Bold Plan
6 b g Jeremy – Kings Orchid
I was delighted by his win over 2m3f at Haydock in November but unfortunately it meant a 10lb hike in the handicap up to a mark of 140 which seemed a lot for what he had achieved. He then fell at Ascot and, last time out at Sandown, he was very lacklustre, mainly I suspect due to the heavy ground which was pretty deep – I would think the extra 10lb on his mark played a big part as well. We will wait and see how he comes out of that race before making other plans but better ground would certainly help his cause.
Caswell Bay
5 b g Fame And Glory – Lauderdale
He is a nice young horse who appears to be learning his trade nicely. He won at Newton Abbot in the summer and ran a cracker last time out when coming home clear at Chepstow last month. People were eulogising about his run but personally I would question the race a bit as the ground was very deep and you do get exaggerated winning margins. He was beaten in a better grade at Cheltenham the time before so I wouldn’t take it at face value. He was much better than his rivals but he loves it there and handled the ground the best. I’m not knocking him but I wouldn’t get carried away either.
Clyne
10 b g Hernando – Lauderdale
This fellow is a six-time winner and rarely runs a bad race. He is as tough and genuine as they come and always runs his heart out. We are going to go for either the Pertemps qualifier or Rendlesham at Haydock next. The handicapper certainly knows about him but he can keep picking up decent prize-money.
Coconut Splash
5 ch g Stowaway – Presenting Chaos
Another lovely young horse that has done nothing but improve quietly. He has had three runs this term culminating with a good win at Wetherby last time. I would like to think we can get another run under his belt this season but he doesn’t want the ground too deep, just nice winter going. He will be a nice prospect for novice chases next season.
Dans Le Vent
7 b g Skins Game – Boreade
He joined us from Jamie Snowden in the autumn and has had just the two runs. He has been a funny little horse really but after a good second to Valdez at Hereford in November we haven’t been able to get him out since. He needs better ground and when we get proper spring going he will be campaigned at the smaller tracks like Hereford, Taunton and Ludlow, where I would expect him to be competitive.
Esprit Du Large
6 b g No Risk At All – Tuffslolyloly
We all strive to train the better horses and this fellow is a real star in the making. He did well as a novice hurdler but we always knew that he would be a different proposition when jumping a fence and he has quickly started to fulfil that prophecy. After a good second at Carlisle he won well at Exeter over 2m3f, but I felt dropping him to 2m around Sandown for the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices’ Chase would be ideal. He jumped and travelled beautifully around the Esher track and came home clear of Nube Negra to win. In fairness, he had improved markedly from Exeter to Sandown so we expected a big run, and he has continued that progress since then. We decided after that to wait for Cheltenham and he goes next for the Arkle on the opening day. We haven’t done a whole lot with him since then but he looks in grand order at home. Like so many top-class horses, he is not a flashy type but he has a good way about him. Those Grade 1 horses are very hard to come by so we are all enjoying having him in our stable, and it is great for his owners, Mr and Mrs Rucker, who have been fantastic supporters of the yard and really deserve success at the top level. As for the Cheltenham Festival, the Arkle looks a hot contest as it always is, but my fellow won’t be far away.
Fado Des Brosses
5 b g Balko – Nanou Des Brosses
He is a big raw horse that has had a couple of runs and just needed to quietly work things out. You could say that the hurdles had been a bit of an inconvenience to him as he is a strong boy, but he is learning. I was delighted with his recent Chepstow win over 2m4f on heavy ground when beating the odds-on favourite Getaway Fred. The form has been franked and there is some real substance to it. I don’t think we will get carried away this season and will look for another hurdles race with a penalty. The only thing I would say is that the ground will be a huge factor in what we do. If I am happy with him in the early spring and we see the right race he will go again, but I am so keen to keep him in one piece for next season when we can really look forward to seeing him blossom.
King’s Odyssey
11 b g King’s Theatre – Ma Furie
Unfortunately age is catching up with him, like it is us all. But he showed in November at Warwick that he still has that desire to win with a battling success over 3m off a mark of 139. He has been such a grand servant that we will take a view in the spring whether we carry on next year or if he should change direction to possibly go hunter chasing or possibly point-to-pointing. I would hate to see him struggle at his age, and being only 6lb below his career-high mark doesn’t make life easy.
Mack The Man
6 b g Flemensfirth – Nifty Nuala
Last season he remained a maiden over hurdles but ran some nice races and the penny was gradually beginning to drop with each race. He had a very good break over the summer and came out to make a winning return at Warwick off a mark of 115. He was given a 7lb rise for that and duly obliged again last time at Sandown in a Listed handicap hurdle from Protektorat. The form from each of those races is stacking up very nicely. Last Saturday he ran in the Betfair Hurdle, where I thought he would go close and he was running a cracking race when he was brought down at the last flight. It was very disappointing but he was grand the next morning, although still a bit stiff and sore. We will monitor how he recovers from those exertions and have to think about the Imperial Cup and the County Hurdle.
Olympic Honour
4 b g Olympic Glory – Shamah
He joined us in the autumn and has improved with each of his three runs. He is a good, tough little horse who is as genuine as you would ever find, and what he lacks in size he makes up for in determination. He won his third start for us at Fakenham last time out and I am sure we can find him another winnable race shortly. He doesn’t want the ground too deep and I feel he could really come to life in the spring on better ground. He has gone up from 112 to 119 and that certainly would not be beyond him.
On Tour
12 b g Croco Rouge – Galant Tour
He is a grand old boy and he loves life as much now as when he started in this yard. This season he has had three runs, the first when beaten a neck at Chepstow in October and most recently at Sandown last month when a close fourth to Jepeck in a very valuable veterans’ chase. He acts like a youngster all the time and there is plenty of life left in him yet. We will keep him to these veterans’ races as they are not so competitive as the open handicaps and they give the old boys a chance. I think the public love to see them keep coming back and these races are proving very popular.
Pobbles Bay
10 b g Oscar – Rose De Beaufai
He is a nice stayer but I think it is fair to say the handicapper has him where he wants at the moment. I thought he ran a lovely race in the Welsh National last time out when eighth, but in truth he wasn’t good enough. We will look at the Haydock Grand National Trial next as the track and trip will suit him.
Present Value
6 b g Gold Well – Presenting Shares
A lovely young horse who is progressing slowly but is more for next season than this. He is quite a backward horse who doesn’t want the ground too deep, so we are just trying to find somewhere with nice ground. He was running a great race at Newbury on Saturday before his old jumping problems appeared in the home straight before he fell. It was frustrating as he is a good horse and when he gets it all together he will do very well.
Prime Venture
9 br g Primary – Next Venture
He is a good old boy but he has never won over fences despite some really good efforts, notably when fourth in the Welsh National. Stamina is his strong suit and with that in mind the Eider could be his next race. He fell at Haydock on his penultimate outing and we rushed him back three days later where he ran a very good second to Aaron Lad at Exeter. We did that as he is a funny horse and quite difficult to get schooling at home. I am sure his time won’t be long in coming before he gets that first chase win under his belt.
Quoi De Neuf
6 b g Anzillero – Qualite Controlee
He has done nothing wrong this season with a second at Chepstow and a superb fourth at Cheltenham in the Greatwood Hurdle. I think it was inexperience that possibly cost him a chance of winning, but that was an ultra-competitive contest and I was delighted. He has run twice since and was travelling well in the big Ascot handicap won by Not So Sleepy when brought down. He ran well enough in the Betfair Hurdle (ninth) last Saturday but I think would prefer a stiffer track to Newbury. With that in mind I would like to think he could be a serious candidate for the County Hurdle.
Secret Reprieve
6 b g Flemensfirth – Oscar’s Reprieve
He is a baby of a horse and everything is a bit too much for him at the moment, but you can see the potential he has. He has been second in his last two runs but it could be that I am now ready to put him away for the summer. I think if we nurse him gently and give him a nice long break he will be back better next year and could be one to follow.
Silver Streak
7 gr g Dark Angel – Happy Talk
He is a superstar and has been a real money-spinner for his owners with over £330,000 in prize-money so far. Last season he had a great time when second in the Greatwood Hurdle and third in the Champion Hurdle. I feel he is a better horse this year and after a lovely comeback win in the Listed Matchbook VIP Hurdle at Kempton he has since been third in the Fighting Fifth as well as runner-up in the Christmas Hurdle. Both of those were Grade 1s and I expect him to be in even better shape next month for another crack at the Champion. When we planned this season the whole object was to get him in the best possible form for Cheltenham and I couldn’t be happier with him at the moment. It looks a very competitive race, as ever, and I think the mare that beat us at Kempton (Epatante) will be a tough nut to crack. But my lad will be a fair old price and I wouldn’t put anyone off backing him each-way again as he is tough, genuine and always runs his best races at Prestbury Park.
The Last Day
8 b g Oscar – The Last Bank
He is in good old form and having ended last season with an impressive novice chase win at Carlisle he carried on with an impressive victory at Aintree in November when he made his seasonal reappearance. That clearly caught the eye of the handicapper as he put him up 11lb for that which was a little harsh on the bare form. As a result we went to Ascot two weeks later and he finished a well-held fourth behind Capeland. He is a horse that needs plenty of cut to be effective and it could be that he may not get his ground again this season, so we will have see how things pan out.
Virginia Chick
8 b g Nickname – Sweet Jaune
Again another great little horse who always tries hard in his races. He won a novice chase at Exeter in November beating Commodore Barry, which looked good form at the time, but I am not so sure now. His latest effort was a decent second at Plumpton, which was encouraging. I think he paid the price for the Exeter win as he is still plenty high enough. There are plenty of options for him including the Eider. He is still eligible to run in novice chases so we may look at that route for him.
Trainer’s pick Mack The Man