Michael Coleman salutes as Media Sensation scores in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo / Race Images South
Michael Coleman salutes as Media Sensation scores in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo / Race Images South
Peter Williams' voice fills with pride when he discusses the female star of New Zealand Cup week.
And then he talks about Media Sensation.
Williams and his wife Dawn train the glamour filly who overcame a rollercoaster spring to smash her rivals in the $300,000 1000 Guineas at Riccarton, justifying every cent of her $425,000 yearling purchase price.
The classic victory erased concerns over the giant speed machine staying the 1600m of the Guineas and gives Media Sensation options on both sides of the Tasman for the remainder of the season.
But she wasn't the lady in racing who had the usually stoic Williams bursting with pride yesterday.
Earlier in the week at Te Aroha the stable trained four winners from as many starters and one of them, Jip Jip Rock, promoted Dawn into the 1000-win trainer's club, its first female member.
Peter Williams was already there but says his wife making it is far more significant.
"I think when I trained my 1000th winner I was about the 13th New Zealand trainer to do it so that wasn't as big a deal.
"But Dawn is the first woman to do it and it is a hell of an achievement.
"We have never had a lot of horses in work, even when we trained in the South Island we only ever had 25 max, same as now.
"So I am very proud that she was the first woman to do it and I hope New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing recognise what a great achievement it is.
"Not just for Dawn but for all the other female trainers and jockeys out there. New Zealand racing would be stuffed if it wasn't for all the females involved."
Dawn Williams, who couldn't be reached yesterday, wasn't at Riccarton for the 1000 Guineas win and more importantly, Media Sensation nearly wasn't either.
Trainer Dawn Williams.
The flight carrying her and Saturday's New Zealand Cup winner Bizzwinkle (trained by Glenn Old) from Auckland to Christchurch was delayed two days in a row because of fog, meaning neither galloper arrived until Friday morning.
Clearly it didn't bother them as the pair raced on the speed and either outpaced (Media Sensation) or outstayed (Bizzwinkle) their rivals in the two richest races of the day.
"Initially we were worried it is going to affect her but it might have been a blessing," admits Peter Williams.
"She never left her box in Auckland to go to the airport for either of the cancelled flights, so we got to prepare her at home and as soon as she got to Christchurch she ate up and settled in.
"When you think about it, if she was going to Trentham to race she would be in a float all day the day before, so this was easier than that," he said.
The pair now have some decisions to make about where their very valuable filly heads next, with the owners giving them the freedom to not try and win the Filly of the Year series. While she leads it now she is likely to have only one more start in a series race, the Eight Carat at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, as Peter Williams says Media Sensation won't be asked to extend out to 2000m.
"Obviously we will see how she is when she gets home and the Eight Carat is an option but so too is the Karaka Million Classic (January 26) and then, if all is still going well, we would look at Sydney in the autumn.
"The owners will want to race on next season though so we won't ask her to go to the well too many more times this season."
While those inside the industry have already applauded Dawn's historic achievement and Media Sensation now has a huge fan club, if the filly does make it to Ellerslie on Boxing Day it would be an appropriately large and glamorous stage for racing bosses to officially recognise what Dawn Williams achieved this week.
"I'd love to see them make a fuss about it and that would be the perfect day to do it.
