Star jockey Craig Williams eyes rare Group 1 hat-trick in Doomben 10,000

A pair of events has presented Craig Williams with an opportunity to win the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 for the third year in a row.

Craig Williams is eyeing off a famous Doomben 10,000 three-peat as he aims to conquer a new personal frontier in Saturday’s $1.5m Group 1.

The legendary jockey has an unexpected opportunity to make it a hat-trick of Doomben 10,000 wins after scoring the race on Bella Nipotina and Giga Kick in the last two years.

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The 82-time Group 1 winner was due to miss Saturday’s Doomben 10,000 day due to a riding suspension he incurred in Hong Kong.

But, in a sliding doors moment, Williams was able to successfully amend the dates of the suspension when Blake Shinn was himself suspended and sidelined from riding Schwarz in the 10,000.

It gives Williams the chance to do something he has never done before.

He may have won the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in Melbourne on seven occasions, but Williams said he has never won the same Group 1 race in three consecutive years.

• Wet the key to Wealth in Group 1 Doomben 10,000

“I thought I was going to be on the sidelines this Saturday, but hopefully I am the right person at the right time,” Williams told Racenet.

“Trying to win three Doomben 10,000s in a row is something that I am really excited about.

“I got suspended in Hong Kong but there was a bit of flexibility with the (suspension) dates.

“Blake got suspended and had to choose which weekend and was suspended for and I was Johnny on the spot, I was quite lucky.

“My suspension is actually now starting on Sunday.”

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

GIGA KICK CLAIMS THE DOOMBEN 10,000. ❤️🤍@CWilliamsJockey@c_douglasracingpic.twitter.com/AN6NHy7dHp

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 13, 2023

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Giga Kick was the $1.65 favourite when Williams rode him to 10,000 glory in 2023 and Bella Nipotina was $7 in betting when she knocked off I Wish I Win last year.

Schwarz, the last start Group 1 William Reid Stakes winner, was $7.50 in betting on Thursday morning.

The sprinter, who is set to have his last run in the 10,000 before going to stud, was shorter in betting earlier in the week but the prospect of a heavy Doomben track has turned some punters off.

Co-trainer John O’Shea has indicated he wouldn’t like the prospects of Schwarz on a bottomless track and there is a chance Schwarz wouldn’t race if the track is extremely heavy.

The Doomben track was in the heavy range on Thursday and more rain is forecast – although trying to second guess the weather in south-east Queensland is a trap.

Craig Williams after winning last year’s Doomben 10,000 on Bella Nipotina. He will be striving for a hat-trick of wins in the race on Saturday. Picture. Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Williams has a busy riding schedule ahead but said he will set up shop in the Sunshine State for the majority of the winter carnival.

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He is set to be reunited with Kimochi in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup later this month, having steered the Gary Portelli-trained mare to win the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes last spring.

Queensland has been a happy hunting ground for Grand Slam-winning jockey Williams in recent years – the Victorian has won four winter carnival Group 1s since 2021.

“Peter Moody says there are two types of Australians,” Williams laughed.

“There are Queenslanders and those who want to be Queenslanders.”

Even if Williams claims his third Doomben 10,000, he will still have some work to do to catch the legendary George Moore who won the race five times.