Craig Williams aboard Tulip (Image: Racing Photos)
Craig Williams was happy with his results last weekend, but he would have preferred to do without the controversy that surrounded one of them.
Melbourne's premier jockey won the feature race at Caulfield, the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes aboard Hartnell, along with the Group 3 Vain Stakes on Jukebox, but they weren't the only headlines he created.
Williams was also fined $2000 for filling his boots with farrier's equipment after realising behind the gates that he'd worn his lightweight vest after weighing out in his heavyweight vest.
He will be extra diligent when getting himself organised this weekend at Moonee Valley, where he has again assembled one of the most powerful books of rides by any jockey.
Williams rides favourite Bandipur in one of the co-features, the $120,000 Listed McKenzie Stakes, and is also one of the top fancies in the $120,000 Johnny Walker Plate, which although not a Black Type race, is one of the most anticipated of the meeting.
The 1200m event for three-year-old fillies is dripping with class and Williams will be aboard Golden Slipper placegetter Tulip.
"I think she's quite special," Williams said of Tulip, who was scratched from last week's Group 3 Quezette Stakes to be saved for this weekend's race.
"I think she's right up there with the best three-year-old fillies we have, she was definitely up there with the best two-year-old fillies we had.
"I did trial her before I went overseas and I was really happy with the feel that she gave me and she's won at the Valley too."
Tulip, who has not started since her fifth placing in the Group 1 ATC Sires', headed CrownBet's market at $2.60 at 2pm Thursday, clear of Limestone ($3.50), Garrard ($4.20) and Roomooz ($6).
Williams will be looking to strengthen his association with James Cummings' Godolphin stable in the McKenzie Stakes.
Hartnell's stablemate Bandipur is looking for back-to-back Black Type wins after winning the Listed Lightning Stakes in Adelaide at his most recent outing and Williams is happy to be reuniting with the horse he rode at his first start - for a seventh placing at Saturday's venue.
The $3.80 favourite will start from gate five in the 1200m event, which has attracted a field of 11.
"This preparation has been really solid for him, the stable's very happy with him and I did have a sit on him on Tuesday morning at Moonee Valley and I was really happy with the way that he's going," he said.
"He looks quite versatile and he can make all the running or just sit off the pace like he did last time."
Another key ride for Williams is Charlevoix, who runs in the $120,000 McMahon's Dairy Handicap (2500m) that kicks off the card.
It will be his first start since mounting his case for recognition as the hard-luck story of last season when fifth at the final meeting of the racing year, at Caulfield on July 29.
"All I need is a bit of good luck, not bad luck," Williams said.
"It's a different race, it's a different week and, most importantly, what happened last start stays at last start and we just focus on the job at hand.
"Otherwise, if I'm thinking of something negative it will probably cause a negative result anyway. So I'll go into it with a clear head, knowing the horse is going well and worry about Saturday on Saturday."