Williams And Hutchins Combine With Mangonui
- Saturday, 24 July 2010 03:41
Craig Williams renewed a long term family association with the Hutchins clan when he rode Mangonui to victory in the Chris Hood Memorial at Moonee Valley this afternoon.
Williams recalled his father Alan being apprenticed to the father of winning trainer Ian Hutchins.
"Its not the best way to ride the horse that we did today but it was the way to win today's race", he explained.
"I drew a good barrier and I thought there was three opposition."
"Two of them were in front of me and the other one was going to be back off me."
"We had to attack and keep going and he was good and strong towards the wire."
After a huge run first up behind King Carnage at Moonee Valley three weeks ago, Mangonui was well fancied in today's race starting favourite at $4.20.
Despite Williams making too much use of Mangonui ($3.80-$4.60-$4.20) in the run, he had the strength to beat off the opposition to win narrowly by a short head on the line, beating Signor Socks ($6.00-$7.00-$6.50) and Sacred Orders ($5.50,7.00-$4.60).
Mangonui's last win was 2½ years ago in February 2008, 13 starts ago.
Hutchins explained that Mangonui had been retired but is now making a comeback.
"He's very hard to place and the owner got very worried about him and said I'll retire him."
"They retired him but my best mate Gary Parkinson went and got him out of the paddock and got a new syndicate of owners together."
"Its the first city win for them and for some of them its the first horse they've been in."
Hutchins explained that Mangonui was injury free and was probably at his peak.
"He's by Kingston Rule. They take time and get better with age."
"He's got no issues. The only thing was with his rating there wasn't the races around for him."
Williams picked up the ride due to a recent injury incurred in a fall by Mangonui's usual rider Peter Hutchinson.
He commiserated with Hutchinson, assuring him that he would give up the ride on Mangonui as soon as Hutchinson was fit to ride again.
