William Wallace picks up where he left off

By Josh Smith - Harness News Desk

William Wallace kept his undefeated three-year-old record intact at Addington Raceway on Friday when easily accounting for his rivals in the Allied Security Mobile Pace (2600m).

The son of Bettor’s Delight was pushed forward early by driver Matt Anderson to take the lead before handing up to last-start winner Bossmaro.

William Wallace was given the perfect trip in the trail and cruised to the line to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Seamark, with a further 2-3/4 lengths back to Bossmaro in third.

Trainer Mitchell Kerr was delighted with the win and was just happy to get the talented pacer back to the races after a near seven-month absence.

“He is a lovely horse, I have got a lot of time for him and it’s just good to have him back on the track,” Kerr said.

“He has been off the scene for a while, so it’s just good to see him do his thing and hopefully he carries on with it.

“Matty (Anderson) was really happy with him, he just did it under his own steam like he can do. He just does what he has to that boy.”

Runner-up in the Gr.2 Diamond Creek Farm 2YO Classic (2200m), William Wallace subsequently finished fifth and sixth in the Gr.1 Garrard’s 2YO Sires’ Stakes Series Final (1980m) as a juvenile before coming of age as a three-year-old.

He won first-up this season at Addington Raceway in December and was being set for a tilt at some of the Derbys, however, COVID-19 put an end to those plans.

While he wasn’t able to contest any stakes races as a three-year-old, Kerr believes William Wallace has the talent to make it through to the highest level.

“I had him ready for the Derbys, but it was just a disaster that they got canned,” Kerr said.

“I think he is a very serious horse and he is still learning all the time. He will only get better and better and I am pretty hopeful he should go through the grades.”

Kerr had a number of other representatives on Friday and he believes both Change Is Good and Matt Damon, who finished fourth and fifth respectively in the HRS Construction Handicap Pace (2600m), will take a lot of benefit from the run.

“Change Is Good went massive,” Kerr said. “She did a bit of work early, she is a tough old thing. She is just in a really hard grade at the moment with the way the races are panning out with the mares.

“She is going well and her turn won’t be too far away.

“Matt Damon, 20m fresh-up tonight and it was his first run back in a long time. He had a good blow and will improve 10-fold off that.

“I am pretty sure he will bounce back next time.”

Meanwhile, Kerr was disappointed with Storm’s run when finishing fifth in the Peek Exhibition Mobile Pace (1980m) and he said he will investigate further to see if there are any underlying issues.

“Storm went okay, she’s just not going quite as good as what I hoped. Something is just not quite right with her, so we’ll take some blood tests and see what is going on with her.

“She is a better filly than that. In saying that she has had a couple of tough runs, so we will go back to the drawing board with her and get her right again and hopefully she will bounce back.”