Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Craig Williams is heading into this year’s Spring Racing Carnival as an inspired man.
The regular rider of superstars like Mr Brightside and Bella Nipotina returned to Melbourne last week from his latest humanitarian mission to Ukraine, as the country continues to defend itself from the Russian invasion.
“To feel like you’re contributing to saving lives, it inspires me to do more, to be better, to be a better human being, be a better jockey,” Williams said.
“If I have more success, we have more money to give to them. If I have more success, we have more exposure to share the atrocities that are committed in Ukraine.
“I come home and I realise about perspective and how grateful I am to be a professional jockey, sportsman and coming into this time, it’s really exciting.”
Williams has raised around $2.5 million in funds to aid the people of Ukraine over the past two-and-a-half years and spoke of how grateful Ukrainians are for the support they receive from Australia as a nation.
“For people who are fighting for their survival every day of their life and dealing with no power, no electricity, no water for a good part of 14 hours of the day, they are so grateful for people in Australia, over 15,000 kilometres away, that give a damn about their struggle,” Williams said.
“They are so grateful for people that give a damn and they don’t complain, they don’t whinge, they’re very grateful but they need the help and they need more.”
As the action on the track in Melbourne is about to heat up, Williams explained that the next part of his fundraising mission will focus on assisting people in Ukraine to get through the depths of winter, which is fast approaching.
“Generators are really important because they don’t have any power, electricity to heat their houses, the basics that we take for granted here, fresh water, even to be able to cook on stoves, so that looks like a priority,” he said.
“They are really worried about it, even for children over there; with the lack of energy, infrastructure and power, children for schools, for heating and all that stuff, it is a real concern coming into winter.
“We need to raise more money and then provide the things that they deem essential and we will get them to people in Ukraine.”
To find out more about Williams’ fundraising efforts for Ukraine and to donate, visit the jockey’s website.
WATCH @7horseracing: Williams discusses his latest trip to Ukraine