"That show really made me think about how we were running the business and I decided we should have fewer horses but better-bred ones and have a plan."
That plan in involved getting successful owners to reinvest and trust Williamson's judgment, buying better-bred yearlings and then targeting carnivals at the major tracks while establishing a professional base in Southland.
The Williamsons' plan has worked and now the young trainer is one of the most feared in the South Island with ambitions of northern raids and buying even better horses at the yearling sales, which start this Sunday.
But first he heads to Addington with the results of his improved training programme — four horses good enough to compete against the best and maybe beat them.
He has three-year-old Ragazzo Mach up against Sires' Stakes winner It's All About Faith in race two, stable star Dark Horse in the main trot, Pembrook Playboy taking on NZ Cup winner Self Assured in the Summer Cup and stable newcomer Yankee Party in the Group 1 $100,000 Breeders Stakes.
He realises Yankee Party can't beat Amazing Dream in the last of those races and even though his other three will be among the favourites they may not win either. But Williamson is now in the big time and loving it.
"This was part of the plan way back then and Friday is an important night for us," he offers.
"With the sales starting this weekend we want to show people we can train in the big time, especially with Mark and Natalie taking a break. That has changed the industry and maybe the dynamic of the sales."
Pembrook Playboy (R7, No 2) has been in scintillating form in the deep south and has an open-class motor but taking on a New Zealand and Auckland Cup winner in Self Assured is a step up so big he might need a pole vault.
"He is still a big baby of a horse but I will put him in the race and give him his chance. But I don't think he can beat Self Assured," says Williamson.
Ragazzo Mach (R2, No 9) may be the best of Williamson's new generation and as a pre-Christmas three-year-old beat good older horses in the Wairio Cup and then slayed his last-start opponents by almost 10 lengths.
In an open year for three-year-olds he is a legitimate NZ Derby hope but finds himself in a wonderful intermediate grade field containing four or five future open-class horses.
"You wouldn't believe he could end up in a field this strong and from the outside barrier I can't go rushing off the gate [at the start]," says Williamson.
"So in reality it might be a race where he hits the line hard and we are happy with that if we don't get the right luck.
"But he is the real deal and I think he has a Derby chance. He is the sort of horse we wanted to be training by now when we made those tough calls three years ago."
What to watch this weekend
1 - Amazing Dream (Addington, R9, No 5)
The Auckland Cup winner looks decent multi value at $1.25 in the Breeders Stakes with the 2600m increasing her dominance.
2 - Self Assured (Addington, R7, No 5)
Only third at Ashburton trials last week but was pulled back at start to make it more competitive for him and then quietly driven in the home straight. What he lacks in fitness he makes up for in raw class.
3 - La Rosa (Addington, R6, No 12)
Kept coming against the older horses last week and finds herself in a weakish $150,000 Harness Million. Would be a good thing off the front line but follows out a fast beginner and should outstay them.
4 - Old versus the new (Addington, R5)
Splash Cola and Dark Horse are old mares who can still sprint up a storm but they meet some outstanding young talent in Vacation Hill, Muscle Mountain and Midnight Dash. Tempo may decide.
5 - Majestic Man (Melton Saturday, R6, No 9)
Had no luck in the Great Southern Star series last Saturday. Second-line draw makes it tricky so it will be interesting to see if he can add another Group 1.
