
Williams stable celebrate whopping $1.1 million Alsephina sale ahead of Western Empire's Belmont Sprint tilt
On Tuesday, the Williams' bonny mare Alsephina sold for $1.1 million to Katsumi Yoshida of Japan at the Gold Coast National Broodmare Sale, ending her whirlwind tenure for the husband-wife training duo.
Her sale price almost matched her deeds on the track, retiring with stakes of over $1.1 million after running in March's Group 1 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.
'
Ï thought she could make $1 million. The reserve was a lot lower, but I said to them, 'put a realistic, conservative reserve on her and get her on the market' and the market took care of the rest,' her consigner Julian Blaxland said.
'She's a beautiful mare, great physical and she rated really well with all the ratings guys. She was a proper mare, she might have only been a Group 2 winner, but she was certainly Group 1 calibre.'
Despite the excitement, Grant Williams remains all business at the stable's Karnup property to ready Western Empire for the Belmont Sprint.
After the latter half of Belmont's Saturday fixture was postponed due to track issues, Williams had to take evasive action to ensure the gelding's preparation was spot on.
'On Sundays, every horse in our place has the day off,' Williams told TABradio.
'They have a light day on the Friday and just go on the water walker, so we couldn't afford to give them an easy day Saturday as well.
'We galloped a few of those horses that weren't able to race on Saturday, on Sunday.
'We took him to the old hill on Sunday just for a change and he worked really good.
'(Alana) is happy with him, so that's good enough for me.'
A $4.20 TABtouch second elect trailing favourite West Star ($3), Western Empire is awkwardly drawn in gate 14 but will be suited to the rise to 1400m.
'We'll still be three deep with cover at some stage,' Williams said.
'Belmont does suit the horse; it's a big open track. It's not ideal (to be at Pinjarra), but at least we're going around.
'The only way we could be at 1200m again (like last start) would be because we needed a run or something like that.
'That won't happen again and we'll change our course next time, and go back to the longer races.'
The son of Iffraaj is the defending champion of the Belmont Sprint having beaten Searchin' Roc's by a nose last year. He went on to run in the Hyperion and Strickland Stakes (1600m and 2000m) subsequent to that run, with Williams indicating that may again be the case.
This Saturday's Belmont meeting has also been shifted to Pinjarra with further extensive testing commissioned to external consultants Ground Science and Living Turf, who will analyse both the surface of the track and soil and sand profiles beneath.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Jason Collett has an appetite for more Group 1 success after breakout year
The evolution of Jason Collett sits on the precipice of entering its most significant phase. Collett, one of racing's quiet achievers, has been riding in Sydney for the past decade but there's a sense the Kiwi-born hoop is riding as well as ever. This week alone, the 34-year-old has ridden seven city winners – headlined by a four-timer at Royal Randwick last Saturday. It helped cement Collett's best-ever finish in the Sydney jockeys' premiership, a second behind James McDonald, with a new career benchmark of 74 city winners for the campaign. Add in his biggest ever Group 1 triumph aboard Stefi Magnetica in the Doncaster Mile in the autumn and a career-best 18 stakes winners, it's easy to see why now more than ever Collett is considered among Sydney's elite. Behind it all remains a laid-back and calm demeanour with an insatiable appetite for more. 'I want more Group 1s,' Collett said. 'I want bigger race wins and those stakes wins help lead to that. 'That's what you need. To get on more of those better horses in those better races but it's evolving nicely.' Collett is quick to identify Stefi Magnetica and Group 1 Champagne Stakes runner-up Within The Law as two of those 'better horses'. Just this week, he got the chance to jump back aboard Within The Law as the Bjorn Baker-trained filly had her first trial this preparation at Rosehill Gardens on Tuesday. Baker has aspirations of aiming Within The Law at Sydney's Princess Series with a Group 1 Flight Stakes tilt on the agenda on October 4 where she is an $8 third elect. • Rosehill Turf Talk: Mitch's big throw at stumps on $151 shot Within The Law saves her best work for race day with Collett keen to see her back at the races. 'She doesn't show a lot in trials or a lot in trackwork either so there isn't really a great deal to get excited about after a trial,' he said. 'We gave her a nice hitout and she was pushed out, that's the norm with her. 'It would be great to get a Group 1 with her and the Flight Stakes would be the target and we know she will run the mile. 'The 1400m and a mile is going to be her and those early races could potentially be a bit sharp.' Stefi Magnetica gave both Baker and Collett the biggest wins of their careers when she won the Group 1 Doncaster Mile on Day 1 of The Championships. Another big spring campaign looms. 'She is going to head towards weight-for-age racing now because she has won two of the biggest handicaps (including the Stradbroke),' Collett said. 'I have no worries she will be able to do it. 'Hopefully she can win another Group 1 now.' While Group 1s are sweet, Collett has made a habit of making his presence felt on regular occasions in town in recent seasons. He isn't one to set specific premiership targets at the beginning of a season but the carrot of finishing second in the Sydney title race for the first time added fuel to his late form surge. A midweek treble at Warwick Farm helped Collett eclipse his previous season best of 72 Sydney winners and edge out Zac Lloyd (67 winners) for the runner-up spot. 'When it got to the last month and a half and I thought I was obviously close enough to Zac, I thought we will try and get second if we can,' Collett said. '(wife) Clare and I had a family holiday booked in early July but in saying that, as it evolved, I thought if we were close enough it would be good to get. 'As it turned out it ended up being quite comfortable in the end.' Collett can pick up where he left off and get the new season off to a flying start aboard the Chris Waller -trained Narbold in the Capitivant @ Kia Ora Benchmark 72 Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Waller runners will make up half of the field in the opener with Narbold ($4.20) only shaded by Amusing ($2.90 favourite) in betting. Collett partnered Narbold two starts ago when a close second behind Centenario in a 1550m event at Canterbury before the gelding finishing fourth behind Amusing at the same track and trip last start. 'He just seemed to find one better when he loomed up two starts ago off a good tempo,' Collett said. 'His run last start was good when he was ridden on speed and I think he is better when he's ridden a bit quieter. 'From the barrier he should get a soft run in what looks to be a small field.' The Richard and Will Freedman -trained Cold Brew mirrors Collett's hot streak with the emerging talent set to hunt three straight wins in the Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1400m). Cold Brew, a $4.80 chance, has put together victories at Hawkesbury and Newcastle and deserves another crack in town. 'He's in a Midway horses where there is a few older horses there but he's progressive,' Collett said. 'I am looking forward to him. 'The ground will no doubt be a question mark for every horse but he is going well and when I rode him two back he won easily. 'He was tough last start when they got to him and he was a bit green but he is going well.' • NSW racing in the hands of weather gods Collett is hopeful King Taurus ($15) can bring his polytrack form to town in the TAB Highway Class 3 Handicap (1200m) while he's happy to wait patiently for the chance to pilot Catch The Glory ($15) late in the card. The Jason Coyle -trained Catch The Glory ($15) is second-up in the Congratulations Chris Waller Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m). 'I think Catch The Glory is a good ride,' Collett said. 'She was out of her grade last start but had been trialling up really well. 'She is out of Zousain so should handle the wet and I think she is going well this horse.' Racing is expected to take place on another heavy track in Sydney with rain forecast on Friday and race day. Few ride wet conditions better than Collett. 'I don't have any secret to it, it's just get them to travel and balance and if they get through it, they get through it,' Collett said.

Courier-Mail
a day ago
- Courier-Mail
Blake Shinn wins 2024-25 Melbourne jockeys' premiership
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The last metropolitan race of the season turned out to be a metaphor of the Melbourne jockeys' premiership battle for champion rider Craig Williams. Williams put up a strong fight in the last months of the season but was unable to reel in reigning Scobie Breasley Medallist Blake Shinn, missing the opportunity to join record holder Damien Oliver on 10 Melbourne jockeys' premierships. Shinn led Williams by seven wins at the start of Wednesday's Sandown meeting but neither rider added to their tally on the final metropolitan race day of 2024/25. Williams had eight rides at Sandown but was narrowly denied a consolation win in the last race when his mount Makdane was shaded on the line by $41 outsider Superstock. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Shinn finished the season on 74 wins to Williams' 67 but the latter topped the Melbourne prizemoney tally with his 381 mounts reaping more than $12.9m on city tracks. Daniel Stackhouse was third on 48 wins. Shinn's premiership triumph was his third in Melbourne while he is the only jockey to have won Melbourne and Sydney jockey's titles, winning the Sydney crown in 2007/08. Shinn will also claim the Victorian Jockeys' Premiership, which includes metropolitan and provincial wins after Thursday's season finale at Sale. • 'We were the common enemy': How Morrison united Victorian racing The all-powerful Ciaron Maher stable took out the Melbourne trainers' premiership with 113 wins, 44 ahead of the Ben, Will and JD Hayes team. Maher also won the national trainers' premiership with 329½ wins, 52½ in front of Chris Waller. Young jockey Tom Prebble emulated his father Brett when he claimed the Melbourne apprentices' title by one win over Jaylah Kennedy. Brett Prebble won the Melbourne apprentices' crown in the mid-1990s before embarking on a stellar career that included more than 500 wins in Hong Kong and the 2012 Melbourne Cup on Green Moon. Originally published as Blake Shinn holds off Craig Williams to win 2024-25 Melbourne jockeys' premiership

News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Blake Shinn holds off Craig Williams to win 2024-25 Melbourne jockeys' premiership
The last metropolitan race of the season turned out to be a metaphor of the Melbourne jockeys' premiership battle for champion rider Craig Williams. Williams put up a strong fight in the last months of the season but was unable to reel in reigning Scobie Breasley Medallist Blake Shinn, missing the opportunity to join record holder Damien Oliver on 10 Melbourne jockeys' premierships. Shinn led Williams by seven wins at the start of Wednesday's Sandown meeting but neither rider added to their tally on the final metropolitan race day of 2024/25. Williams had eight rides at Sandown but was narrowly denied a consolation win in the last race when his mount Makdane was shaded on the line by $41 outsider Superstock. Shinn finished the season on 74 wins to Williams' 67 but the latter topped the Melbourne prizemoney tally with his 381 mounts reaping more than $12.9m on city tracks. Daniel Stackhouse was third on 48 wins. Shinn's premiership triumph was his third in Melbourne while he is the only jockey to have won Melbourne and Sydney jockey's titles, winning the Sydney crown in 2007/08. Shinn will also claim the Victorian Jockeys' Premiership, which includes metropolitan and provincial wins after Thursday's season finale at Sale. What a way to finish an incredible season by securing the 24/25 Metropolitan title here in Melbourne. This result reflects 12 months of sacrifice and relentless hard work, made possible by the unwavering support of the exceptional team around me. A sincere thank you to the… — Blake Shinn (@blake_shinn) July 30, 2025 The all-powerful Ciaron Maher stable took out the Melbourne trainers' premiership with 113 wins, 44 ahead of the Ben, Will and JD Hayes team. Maher also won the national trainers' premiership with 329½ wins, 52½ in front of Chris Waller. Young jockey Tom Prebble Jaylah Kennedy. Brett Prebble won the Melbourne apprentices' crown in the mid-1990s before embarking on a stellar career that included more than 500 wins in Hong Kong and the 2012 Melbourne Cup on Green Moon.