West Midlands horse racing trainer Ian Williams added another winner to his tally for the year as Catch Catchfire made a victorious debut over fences at Leicester on Thursday.
Jockey Charlie Todd let the horse ride patiently before entering the race on the home straight. He took the lead after the penultimate race and secured an eight-length victory. Bettors who took advantage of the early sports betting odds at Betway were richly rewarded as the horse was backed pre-race with odds ranging from 25/1 to 18/1.
Catch Catchfire had shown little in the previous three runs over hurdles but seemed to relish the move to bigger obstacles in Leicester.
The victory was the latest in what was undoubtedly a memorable year for Williams, particularly due to his successes in flat racing.
Williams has won a career-best 68 winners this year, while his tally of £1.14 million in prize money is higher than the record sum he collected in 2018.
While many other coaches lament the challenges they face compared to the sport's big boys, Williams believes the annual program provides plenty of opportunities for smaller coaches to shine.
He has set his sights on events such as the Racing League and the Shergar Cup and is not afraid to undertake ambitious forays abroad when he feels he has the right horse at his disposal. “We have always followed the dollar, so to speak, whether it was to Yarmouth, Bahrain or Australia,” he said. “Sometimes it is better to place in a good race than to win a worse one, especially financially. The return can be far better.”
“You have to have horses that can do that and we were very fortunate this year to be able to go to war with a good selection of handicappers.
“You have to be careful when choosing the horses you run because there is no point in running horses that are not capable of it. So we searched the entire farm and identified the horses that could do the job for us. It’s very important that the right horses do the right things.”
Williams' ethos could pay off in the winter months as his stable is expected to be extremely busy on the all-weather circuit.
The renewal of the lucrative £1m bonus scheme, up for grabs at Lingfield, Newcastle, Southwell and Wolverhampton, offers Williams the chance to top up his stable coffers.
A quick look at the upcoming registrations shows how seriously Williams is taking the venture, as his yard is prepared for a plethora of runners across the country.
He could have 11 horses in all-weather action at Lingfield, Newcastle and Wolverhampton on Monday, with a further four entered at Southwell the following day.
Williams also has eight potential runners on the grid for Kempton on Wednesday and is guaranteed to be busy for the rest of the month.
With several National Hunt horses also due to compete in the next few weeks, Williams will be aiming to end an outstanding year on a positive note.
Article written by Michael Cage