First standing start for Ultimate Stride

By Michael Guerin

Don’t be put off by star young trotter Ultimate Stride having never had a standing start in New Zealand just because he faces one at Invercargill today.

Because trainer Phil Williamson is adamant it won’t be a problem.

Ultimate Stride (Race 11, 4.35pm) takes on not only older horses but that standing start but trainer Phil Williamson says neither factor concerns him.
“He has beautiful manners so I’d be stunned if he galloped from the standing start,” says Williamson.

“Being a big field there is always the chance being off 20m they can have traffic problems but on the whole he should be too good for them.”

The high-priced yearling purchase, Ultimate Stride dominated Australia’s best young trotters winning the Breeders Crown last season and returned with an effortless win in a mobile start race two weeks ago.

Punters looking for a lunchtime bet could do worse than double down in race two on the Williamson team.

“We have two trotters in the second race and I think one of the two will win,” says the trotting supremo.

“The two-year-old Love N The Port might be the best of them and would probably win on raw ability but if he doesn’t then one of our others in Springbank Mason is also a good chance.”