COMMENT: Where are all the Craig Williams haters now after Doomben 10,000 win aboard Bella Nipotina?

We might not have seen them, but at least we know what they ate for dinner on Saturday night. Pie – of the humble variety.

Bella Nipotina (Craig Williams) mows down I Wish I Win to win the Group 1 Doomben 10,000. Picture. Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

Where are all the Willo haters now?

We might not have seen them, but at least we know what they ate for dinner on Saturday night.

Pie – of the humble variety.

Craig Williams, Australia’s most polarising jockey, produced a ride for the ages to win the Doomben 10,000 on Bella Nipotina.

It can be elementary for a jockey to win on a hot favourite when everything goes right in the run.

But Plan A and Plan B went out the window when $7 pop Bella Nipotina was like a snail out of the gates and ended up so far back she would have needed binoculars to see the leader.

In a 1200m Group 1 dash, some less calm and composed jockeys could have panicked or thrown the toys out of the cot if they ended up where Williams was.

BELLA NIPOTINA WINS THE DOOMBEN 10,000!

In a cracking finish, she defeats the favourite I Wish I Win right on the line!

What a mare she is, and now takes her earnings closer to $10 million 👏 pic.twitter.com/Rt25A4uCK5

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 18, 2024

• Fight AND flight: Bella shows a hella courage in Doomben 10,000 win

From a good gate Bella Nipotina was expected to be prominent, but Williams made the best of a bad situation and pinched some ground on the fence and kept his cool while some others took off.

He then sliced through the pack and got to the perfect spot on the Doomben track to get home over I Wish I Win in the final stride.

It was a precise, perfect and wonderful ride and should be shown to apprentice jockeys all over the country on replay loop.

Trainer Ciaron Maher was in raptures. This is the same Ciaron Maher who in February described Williams’ losing ride on $1.26 favourite Jimmysstar at Flemington as “just stupid.”

Maher, of course, is entitled to his opinion.

As are the connections of Giga Kick – who won last year’s Doomben 10,000 and who Williams was later sacked from riding.

That’s racing – owners pay the bills and trainers call the shots, both camps are entitled to do what they want.

But in between times, the clamour from many on social media almost every time Williams doesn’t win a race has become ridiculous.

Craig Williams gets busy on Bella Nipotina. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography

• What the jockeys said: 2024 Doomben 10,000

For some reason he’s become an easy target for ridicule and abuse.

Next, Williams will be blamed for the gaping hole in the ozone layer.

Williams is one of the best jockeys we have seen – you don’t ride 77 Group 1 winners if you are a dud.

If some of the slimeballs who use social media to direct vitriolic rants at him actually met the man, they would probably ask for his autograph.

He’s one of the nicest blokes you could ever meet, his preparation for races is assiduous and his understanding of what makes racing tick is second to none.

He does fabulous work off the track and with fans and his efforts delivering humanitarian aid to Ukraine speak for themselves.

None of this makes him immune from criticism, but it certainly should stop the vicious abuse and potshots from disgruntled punters almost every time William doesn’t win on a horse.

“Willo” is a national treasure for racing and the sport is infinitely better for having him.

Originally published as COMMENT: Where are all the Craig Williams haters now after Doomben 10,000 win aboard Bella Nipotina?