Jockey Craig Williams is confident current Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) favourite Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) will deliver a strong performance when he returns to raceday at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The son of Shocking is set to resume in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) and Williams travelled to Horsham on Tuesday to partner the six-year-old gelding in his final piece of fast work before the race.
“I’m not too sure if anyone clocked him or not but to me his performance (in the Feehan) will take a lot of beating on his work this morning,” Williams told RSN Radio.
“He did a nice piece of work.
Surprise Baby finished fourth first up in the Feehan Stakes last year before going on to win the Gr.3 Bart Cummings (2520m).
Williams felt Tuesday’s gallop would put him in good stead for Saturday, the time spent with the horse giving him a better understanding of Surprise Baby’s character.
“He has a couple of little quirks which I think was the whole idea behind Paul (Preusker, trainer) asking me to come down and work him,” Williams said.
“I will benefit greatly from the insight from this morning’s gallop going into the race.
“I wouldn’t be surprised (to see him win the Fehaan first up over a mile), not the way he is working.”
