Williams to chase more rich country features glory with stable pair

By Glenn Davis

Trainer Raymond Williams is convinced stablemates Tricky Beans and Fine Shot can confirm plans to head to Brisbane for the Country Cups Challenge and Country Stampede Finals in December when the pair start at Emerald on Tuesday.

Williams, who once worked in the coal mines in central Queensland for 20-odd years, won the Country Cups Challenge Final two years ago with Echo Point.

He then claimed last year’s Country Stampede Final at Doomben with Lily Allez.

“The plan is to try to qualify Fine Shot and Tricky Beans for both finals in December,” Williams said.

“The qualifying races for both are just starting and Fine Shot will run at Emerald this week then go on to the Emerald 100 which is a qualifying race for the Country Stampede.”

Fine Shot has only been with Williams for four starts and has already returned his $10,000 outlay to his owners.

“I bought him off Nick Walsh in Rockhampton and he ran second at Barcaldine in his first start for me,” Williams said.

“He had no luck at all when I took him to Townsville when he ran down the track at his next start.”

Seven-year-old Tricky Beans is coming off a last start second to Fine Shot in a 1280-metre Open at Emerald on September 6.

The son of the ill-fated Spill The Beans went into the race off the back of a win in the Middlemount Cup in July and a second in the Gladstone Cup on August 16.

“Fine Shot broke the track record the day he beat Tricky Beans and he’ll be aimed for the Stampede Final,” Williams said.

“It was a fabulous run from Tricky Beans as it was only 1300 metres and it was an unsuitable race for him.”

Williams has booked his apprentice Jamie Lee-Devine to partner Tricky Beans while Gabrielle Semmens will ride Fine Shot.

“Jamie is the daughter of the owner, Jason Devine who trains at Thangool,” he said.

The 49-year-old Williams has 11 horses in work at Emerald where he also works as the track curator.

“I used to drive graders and bulldozers in the mines before I gave it away a couple of years ago when my late wife, Tracey, got sick,” he said.