Williams delivers on Waterhouse plan as Sir Delius stuns Autumn Glow

Jockey Craig Williams spent the week on planes, trains and ferries in Sydney, but on Saturday morning he was reminded he was on an express with Gai Waterhouse.

“Gai told me, we have the best proven mile-and-a-quarter horse in the country,” Williams said after Sir Delius broke Autumn Glow’s heart in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

“They wanted to be aggressive and that’s what we did.”

A relaxed Williams had done his form on Manly Beach as he took in the sights of Sydney with his children during the week.

However, he was safe in the knowledge Sir Delius, who had been Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup favourite before Racing Victoria scans ruled him out, was back to his best.

“Adrian [Bott] did a marvellous job with him because this was the target and he was ready today,” Williams said. “I rode him two weeks ago and again on Tuesday and it was there for everyone to see.

“Tuesday was the first time he felt like the horse we had in Melbourne.

”I was on public transport all week because my son loves it. When I did the form on the beach, I was relaxed that they would have to beat him.”

Sir Delius needed to be at his best because Autumn Glow, with her unbeaten record, was ready for her coronation over 2000m. She would start a $1.30 favourite, but the crown was bound for another.

The Queen Elizabeth turned into a survival of the fittest as Light Infantry Man thundered through the early sections, but by the home turn, Sir Delius had taken the lead and Autumn Glow loomed at the 300m mark.