Jockey Craig Williams suspended but still chasing premiership
Champion jockey Craig Williams has zeroed in on the pursuit of a 10th Melbourne premiership.
Williams started a 14-day careless riding suspension on Sunday but has 58 races across seven city meetings next month to wipe an eight-win deficit on sidelined premiership leader Blake Shinn (foot).
'I want to win a championship so I'm working hard, I'll be at all the tracks,' Williams said.
'I was very saddened by that (suspension) but that's the rules of racing … I just have to work harder.'
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If successful in the premiership race, Williams could join Damien Oliver on 10 premierships.
Roy Higgins and Bill Duncan share the record with 11 Melbourne titles.
Shinn, stranded on 67 city winners, was poised to win his second premiership in three seasons and third overall before an untimely foot injury last month.
Williams moved to 59 winners last Saturday with a double at Flemington.
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'It's been a great season, won five Group 1s, The Everest, I've won a Hong Kong Derby,' Williams said.
'It's been an amazing season and when we're in the position that we are, and we're only in this position because of Blake Shinn's unfortunate injury … he's very dominant.
'This is really special to us (premierships) but again it's a goal, nothing better than … having goals and challenges, you turn up, you know what you want to do.
'It doesn't matter what the weather is, what the horses are, we try and get the best out of them to hopefully be lucky enough to win 10 championships.'
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Williams has pushed back a planned humanitarian aid mission to Ukraine to pursue the premiership.
'It's important, the work we do here, 10 per cent goes to Ukraine,' Williams said.
'My wife is helping me try and win the championship and once we get the next eight (winners) we'll go to Ukraine and deliver the humanitarian aid.'
Williams rode Taken and the most impressive She's An Artist to victory last Saturday at Flemington.
She's An Artist, trained by Ciaron Maher, 'broke them' in slick time – fastest sectionals on the card in the last race – at only her second start and first time down the Flemington straight.
'She felt like everything we hoped she was going to be,' Williams said.
'The exciting part is she's only going to get better … all going well, like we always need, she's a really untapped, high potential filly.'
She's An Artist is set for the Listed Creswick Sprint Series Final (1200m) on July 5 at Flemington.
Williams is eligible to return to the saddle on July 6, with a midweek meeting at Sandown on July 9 his next opportunity to build on his metropolitan winners' tally.
Gilbert Gardiner
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Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun.
@gilbertgardiner
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