Racing: Williamson confident top trotter is up to task

Thinking back 18 months to the Harness Jewels convinces driver Nathan Williamson he can win tonight's A$100,000 Australasian Trotting Grand Prix with Springbank Richard.

The Oamaru trotter returns to Victoria tonight for the group one event and meets Australia's king of trotting, Sundon's Gift and the stablemate set to take over that mantle, Skyvalley.

That powerful duo are at least as good as Springbank Richard at their best but the Kiwi has the inside barrier draw, which could be a huge advantage around the Melton track.

But that advantage will disappear if Springbank Richard gets crossed at the start, with his racing style far more suited to outstaying his rivals than using the passing lane.

So is driver Williamson pleased or concerned by the ace draw?

"I think it will work out well," he offers. He has good gate speed and once he gets under way he is faultless and I won't be scared to push him.

"I think back to the Harness Jewels he won as a 4-year-old, he led from barrier four that day at Cambridge.

"So I think he will hold up and be hard to run down."

Springbank Richard has settled in well in Victoria, where he won the Victoria Derby two years ago.

After sometimes struggling in his open-class transition season last term, he has emerged as the best trotter racing in New Zealand, with a brave last-start win in the Dominion.

He will need to race up to that form tonight as Skyvalley is a speed freak who would be hard to hold out with the right cart into the race.

But there has been early support for Springbank Richard in Australia, backed into $2.60 with bookies after opening at $3.20, suggesting he could start favourite in the race.

The barrier draws have been kind to the New Zealanders tonight, with Mr Feelgood also securing the ace as he tries to return to winning form in the Poplar Alm Free-For-All earlier in the night.The next harness meeting to be held at Moonee Valley will be the last at the venue. A farewell was scheduled for Saturday night, February 27, but the Harness Racing Victoria board voted to scrap that fixture and run the final meeting as Hunter Cup Night on Saturday, February 6.