KEY POINTS:
Trainer Phil Williamson paid Springbank Richard one of the biggest compliments a New Zealand trotter can receive after his crushing victory in last night's Victoria Trotters Derby.
The 3-year-old thrashed Australia's best young squaregaiters in the A$75,000 ($84,000) classic at Maryborough after sitting parked for the last lap.
It was more a statement than a performance, with even young driver Nathan Williamson acknowledging he was part of something special by unleashing his first ever whip flourish as the young guns hit the line.
The win capped a remarkable season for Springbank Richard, who was a maiden in April yet is now being rated a potential champion by Williamson.
"He is potentially as good as any horse I have trained, maybe better," said Phil Williamson. "He is still very green and has a long way to go but he has remarkable talent."
Those are huge statements from the man who emerged from obscurity five years ago to now challenge Tim Butt as New Zealand's premier trainer of trotters.
The Williamsons have won over a dozen group one races in the last two seasons with Allegro Agitato, Jasmyn's Gift and more recently One Over Kenny, who will be voted Trotter of the Year.
So for Springbank Richard to be rated their equal, and possibly even better, is incredible.
But Williamson will stop short of rushing his latest star, who will be kept to mainly 4-year-old racing next season.
"But he could be anything the year after that."
The win capped a great weekend for New Zealand 3-year-olds in Victoria, with One Dream having easily captured the A$75,000 Australian Oaks on Friday night.
She led and controlled the race before sprinting her last 400m in 27.2 seconds to record her second Oaks win of the season.
One Dream now heads to the Breeders Crown in four weeks, a series Springbank Richard is ineligible for.
It was not all good news for the Kiwis in Victoria though, with 2-year-old trotter Petite Sunset costing punters plenty when she galloped twice as a hot favourite in yesterday's Redwood Trot also as Maryborough.
* Exceptional 3-year-old pacer Gotta Go Cullen is set to join the Tony Herlihy stable after being bought for more than $1 million.
The New South Wales Derby winner is owned and trained by Sue Martin but will be sold to Canterbury-based owner Ian Dobson, of Christian Cullen fame, should he pass a veterinary examination later this week.
That is likely to be on Friday, a day after Gotta Go Cullen races arch-rival Changeover in a heat of the Breeders Crown at Cambridge.
"All going well he will come here and then head to Australia for the Breeders then come back and maybe be aimed at the New Zealand Cup," said Herlihy.
Gotta Go Cullen has long-term value as a stallion but will race until at least the end of his 4-year-old season.
