Globetrotting jockey Craig Williams has given notice to Hong Kong fans to prepare to welcome one of the genuine superstars of Australian racing on FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Sunday, April 27.

He is referencing Mr Brightside, winner of 19 of his 43 races and over A$17.3 million (approx. HK$85.8 million) in prize money, who has arrived to take on local hero Voyage Bubble and a collection of the world’s finest in the HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions Mile (1600m).

“Mr Brightside is an absolute warrior,” Williams says of the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old he has ridden 39 times. “He’s a star, and he competes at the elite level every time he goes around.

“There are no days off for a horse like that when he competes. He’s on show, he’s on display.  And he has a following, everyone loves him in Australia. He will carry the weight of a nation when it comes to the big day at Sha Tin.

“I am very privileged to ride him. He has been developed by the Hayes boys (Ben, Will & JD).  He was their first Group 1, the three brothers together, and it has been a privilege to be part of his journey, his development.

“He’s a very special horse. He’s one of the best milers in Australia and when he stretched out to 2000 metres, he was beaten only by an international mega star Romantic Warrior in the Cox Plate (G1, 2040m) – beaten by the shortest of margins.”

Williams is unstinting in his praise of stable’s flagship ‘warrior’ and the three young men, who train him — the Hayes brothers, Ben, 34, and twins JD and Will, 29, third generation trainers, who have put the famous Lindsay Park operation back on the map in Australia.

Colin Hayes, the legendary trainer, established Lindsay Park as a training complex and stud at Angaston, a small town 120 kilometres outside Adelaide, South Australia, in the 1960s. He was succeeded by sons David and Peter in the business, which in turn has been taken on by David’s three sons. Lindsay Park is now based at Euroa, Victoria, two hours’ drive north of Melbourne.

Williams’s connection with the Hayes family goes back over two decades. When he was based in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, he was effectively David’s number two rider.

“Gerald Mosse was his first jockey but he was in the heavier bracket and I was picking up the lightweight rides,” Williams said.

That association came not long after Williams had a stint riding for Mick Channon in England, during which he partnered Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum’s Tobougg to victory in the G1 Dewhurst Stakes (1408m) on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course.

Williams believes the experience improved him as a jockey. 

“I really excelled after my time in England and then fine-tuned it with the three years I was in Hong Kong. Europe gave me the confidence. On a Saturday, I was riding against all the best in England, then on Sunday against all the best in Europe. Completely different to Australia,” he explains.

After his overseas adventures, Williams returned home to Melbourne, which coincided with David Hayes’s return after his 10-year stay in Hong Kong.  Williams went on to win nine jockeys’ titles in Victoria.

“Five of those were riding for David. When I came back, David backed me. He went to his owners and said ‘I want Craig riding for me. The Craig Williams you remember of five years ago is very different to the jockey you will see now.’

“Half of my championships were due to the dominance of Lindsay Park and me being lucky enough to be their number one rider,” he recalls.

As for the Hayes brothers, Williams says they are ‘fabulous’ at what they do. 

“They do it collectively. They are impressive young men.  Most importantly, they are getting the results. Not just Group 1s, we are talking about placing horses, educating them. They know their horses so well, they’re so impressive as an organisation,” he said.

Williams says he fulfilled an ambition when he won the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) last month on Cap Ferrat, trained by Francis Lui.  Previously owned by Coolmore and partners, the four-year-old was registering his maiden victory though he had been Group 1-placed in Australia, behind top horses, Tom Kitten, Riff Rocket and Ceolwulf.

“I rode in my first Hong Kong Derby 24 years ago. I was second on a horse trained by Lawrie Fownes and owned by a family friend, Ben Wong, for whom I ended up winning an earlier race on Derby Day this year. I was thrilled to win the big one, particularly being trained by Francis, who gave me so much support during my time in Hong Kong.

“The equivalent of the Hong Kong Derby is the Melbourne Cup (G1, 3200m) in Australia, that’s how big it is,” Williams said.

Cap Ferrat lines up in the HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), taking his chance against Ascot’s G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2392m) winner Goliath in an international line-up that also features Prognosis for Japan and El Vencedor for New Zealand. 

Williams says: “While Cap Ferrat needs to find something on official ratings, he had never managed to get his head in front before the Derby last month. Imagine how he feels now. He has the capacity to improve because he’s now a winner.”

Williams feels very much at home in Hong Kong, which is hardly surprising considering his long association with racing here. The fans will welcome him as warmly as they should his ‘warrior’ partner Mr Brightside, who the jockey says is very special.