Earlier in the week Robbie Williams was confined to bed and feeling terrible as he suffered from a virulent virus before his doctor cleared him to resume training his pacers.
“I was really crook and spent Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in bed,” explained 38-year-old Williams, who answered a most unexpected telephone call from ace Boyanup trainer Justin Prentice on Tuesday evening, offering him the drive behind talented six-year-old Rolling Fire in the group 3 $50,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup over 2130m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
“I was more than happy to take the drive,” said Williams. “This was my first ever drive for Justin; we’re usually in opposition. It’s been a few years since I’ve had a freelance drive, but this was nice to be able to drive a horse for Justin, whose horses are always very well geared and well presented.”
Williams made the most of the opportunity and he guided the WA-bred six-year-old to an easy victory at his first start for two months when he surged home from the rear to win by 5m from Better Eclipse ($6) at the handsome odds of $36.80. Sorridere ($7.50) was a head away in third place after trailing the pacemaker and $2.60 favourite Lavra Joe.
“I was really crook earlier in the week, but now I’m feeling fine,” said Williams. “It is never easy from barrier seven, but Rolling Fire travelled beautifully throughout even though we got shoved four wide after there was a bit of interference with a lap to go,” said Williams.
Rolling Fire settled down in tenth position after a fast lead time of 35.3sec. and he was still well back in ninth place at the bell, with Williams sending him forward, out three wide.
Lavra Joe stopped suddenly with about 600m to travel and quickly dropped back to last, while the breeze horse Better Eclipse took up the running before was swamped late when Rolling Fire charged home to hit the front with about 100m to travel.
Lavra Joe, trained by Ray Jones and driven by Kyle Harper, bled from both nostrils and will be banned from racing for three months. “Actually, he felt the best I’ve felt from him but he overraced a fair bit and wasn’t breathing too good,” said a bitterly disappointed Harper.
Prentice was delighted with Rolling Fire’s splendid first-up performance and said he would set him for the $50,000 Pinjarra Cup on Monday of next week. Rolling Fire, a gelding by American sire Roll With Joe, has earned $277,945 from 15 wins and 13 placings from 49 starts.
Prentice also was represented with Mighty Ronaldo ($14) and The Iron Duke ($61) in the Lord Mayor’s Cup. Mighty Ronaldo was restrained to the rear from the outside barrier (No. 9) on the front line and was badly hampered for room in the final circuit and finished in 11TH place, while The Iron Duke was tenth at the bell before flashing home late, out six wide to finish a close-up eighth.
