“I was more or less done with him,” said Williams, who bred, races and trains the 3-year-old Majestic Son.
But yesterday at Methven, the circuit where he is course manager, the three-year-old won by a nose in the Pidene Farm Trot on his debut.
“I was happy with that. I wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He has the skills, but his old brain isn’t working yet,” Williams says, “but we’ll get there one day.”
The key Williams has figured out is making sure Lauzelle has company.
“I don’t put him in the cart alone. I have to make sure there are other horses around, otherwise he will try to kick me out of the cart.”
“If he’s alone, I just put him behind the jogger.”
By Majestic Son from Williams’ four-race winner Brylin Paige, Lauzelle was a little slow from the stands before making a move to three behind the running line with 1000 to go.
Leo O’Reilly rode out for the home turn and maintained a determined finish to overtake the pace-setting BK Mumma Jamie and then hold off a fast-finishing Gimme Three Steps.
Lauzelle’s debut came after finishing second in a recent trial behind subsequent race winner Amistozo. The John Morrison-trained trotter followed up that victory in Oamaru with a second-place finish yesterday in Methven, behind Fr Mike.
LAUZELLE REPEAT
Williams is now retired and lives close to Mount Harding Racecourse.
He has been working part-time as a course manager since August.
“I’m just helping them…I’m not sure how long I’ll be there.”
As for Lauzelle, he is back in the good books of Williams, who will be hoping yesterday’s victory will be a turning point for the one-time ‘problem horse’.
For full race results, click here.
By means of Dave Di SommaHarness News Desk
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