Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
“It's all I have ever really wanted to do.” For as long as Dean Williams can remember, becoming a thoroughbred trainer has been the dream.
Raised among some of New Zealand's finest bloodstock at The Oaks Stud in Cambridge, the 29-year-old could have followed a successful path in the breeding industry, and while that has always been of interest, it was the thrill of racing that captured his imagination.
That lifelong ambition reached an important milestone at Murtoa on Saturday when Tempest Moon (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) provided Williams with the first winner of his training career, taking out the Marma Cup over 2050 metres in the familiar and famous colours of The Oaks Stud.
The result carried extra significance given Williams' long association with the renowned nursery, where his father, Rick, has been General Manager for many years. While the milestone was one to savour, Williams admitted the overwhelming emotion afterwards was relief.
Rick Williams | Image courtesy of New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders
“It was a good feeling, it’s really good to get the first one out of the way,” Williams said.
“It was a good feeling, it’s really good to get the first one out of the way.” - Dean Williams
A tough-staying mare delivers the breakthrough
Tempest Moon arrived in Williams' stable after previously being prepared by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray in Cambridge in New Zealand, she won on Saturday second-up for Williams and he now believes the mare is now beginning to reap the rewards of patience from her owners and former trainers as well as maturity and time having been her friend.
“Shaun (Ritchie) and Colm (Murray) have been great to talk to since the mare has moved over and have emphasised that they struggled to keep weight on the mare, she's very fine and a light type of mare. But this preparation at this stage, she appears to be holding her weight pretty well.
“She's just a more mature mare now and I think there's further improvement to come from her. I don't think we've quite seen the best of her anyway, even though she's a rising 6-year-old, but she's just been such a slow, maturing mare.”
“I don't think we've quite seen the best of her (Tempest Moon) anyway, even though she's a rising 6-year-old, but she's just been such a slow, maturing mare.” - Dean Williams
Tempest Moon (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Williams has already identified a logical next step for the mare.
“There is a nice race for her at Sandown in about two and a half weeks over a mile and a half, and that looks sort of the logical stepping stone for her.
“That should give us a good guide to whether we should just be sticking to the Jericho again, which she ran so good in last year, or if she came out and won a race like that then you may get a bit more serious about perhaps looking back at New Zealand even for some weaker cups races where she may be able to pick up some black type.
“She's got to take another step up to be considering that though. The heavy tracks certainly bring the others back to her a bit more. She lacks any real class and speed, but she's very genuine and I think that's just where the heavy tracks do help her out. But she's certainly capable of any conditions.”
“She (Tempest Moon) lacks any real class and speed, but she's very genuine and I think that's just where the heavy tracks do help her out. But she's certainly capable of any conditions.” - Dean Williams
Dean Williams | Image courtesy of Dean Williams Racing
Learning from some of the best
Growing up at The Oaks Stud meant Williams was immersed in thoroughbreds from an early age, but it was watching their elite performers such as Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross {Ire}) the outstanding seven-time Group 1 winner race in the Oaks Stud colours that convinced him his future lay on the training side of the industry rather than in breeding.
“It was sort of always a plan to train from a young age. It's all I've ever wanted to do and after five great years with Tony Pike, that's when I decided I really need to go and get around the world a bit and just see how everyone does things.”
Tony Pike | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Williams' apprenticeship included time with Stephen Marsh before five years as racing manager for Tony Pike. He then moved to Melbourne to work for the late Mike Moroney, travelled through Europe's leading racing centres and joined Joseph O'Brien in Ireland before returning to Victoria as assistant trainer to Steve Richards.
“I spent a month travelling before I started with Joseph O’Brien and I went to Sweden to Bro Park there and met a few of the trainers there. I went to Newmarket, Lambourn, I went to Chantilly and Longchamp in France and then obviously Ireland.
“I tried to get around as much as I could and just meet as many people as I could and you certainly can take little bits and pieces from everyone.
“I tried to get around as much as I could and just meet as many people as I could and you certainly can take little bits and pieces from everyone.” - Dean Williams
“I think I train in a fairly similar way to Tony Pike. I spent such a long time with him. I still think he's actually quite an underrated trainer. He's had a hell of a lot of success, often with horses not by the most fashionable sires, Bostonian was a Jimmy Choux, Sacred Elixir was a Pour Moi.
“You've got to learn the little nuances of it all and you just need to work out what suits you and take bits and pieces from everyone.
Mike Moroney | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Mike could train anything, sprinter or stayer, and Steve just had such a lovely way with horses and so much patience. I've tried to take bits from everyone I've worked for.”
Williams eventually established his own stable at Pakenham, believing Victoria offered the ideal environment to begin the next chapter.
Building a stable at Pakenham
Williams believes Pakenham has provided the ideal environment to launch his training career.
“Pakenham has been incredible to start up out of. It's been incredible, honestly. Neil Bainbridge and everyone at Southside Racing has been really hospitable and made settling in very easy. I think honestly it's one of the best training centres in the world.
“It's really designed for training, there's just so many options for each horse and there's variety. Training centres like that give a much better chance of keeping horses in work longer.
“If you can get one or two more runs a year out of a horse, that could make a lot of prize money for owners. It's just been hard to get those extra couple of runs out of them.”
“It’s a great location and a great base to start my career from.”
The Oaks support continues
While Williams has forged his own path, The Oaks Stud and owner Dick Karreman have played a pivotal role in helping him establish his stable.
“Basically my whole childhood's been at the Oaks. It's been my whole childhood following those horses around at racetracks and there was absolutely no hope of me being able to have done this without Dick's support.
“I started working on the farm at a very young age and when I spoke to Dick a couple of years ago about wanting to get my licence and have a crack, he has been hugely supportive.
“I started working on the farm at a very young age and when I spoke to Dick a couple of years ago about wanting to get my licence and have a crack, he has been hugely supportive.” - Dean Williams
“He’s spent a hell of a lot of money on yearlings for me and sent a lot of tried horses over to me. So he's put a lot of faith in me. So that comes with a bit of pressure and you do need to get results for them.
“We’ve got some nice young horses and hopefully one or two of them can make the grade and we can have a bit of fun with them.”
Dick Karreman | Image courtesy of Oaks Stud
Williams said Karreman's experience has also helped shape the early direction of the stable.
“We only currently have nine boxes but that could increase pretty soon. In the last couple of months we have actually had a few tried horses and sacked them straight away.
“They just weren't up to Victorian races here. It's one good thing with Dick, he's quite happy to sack them pretty quickly if they aren't going to measure up. He's been in the game a long time and he knows how the game works, so we've moved them on pretty quickly.”
“It's one good thing with Dick... He's been in the game a long time and he knows how the game works, so we've moved them on pretty quickly.” - Dean Williams
Karreman's passion for racing remains as strong as ever and many of his star gallopers have left an imprint of Williams as he was growing up and building into the game.
“There has been Seachange, Artistic won the Oaks, Catalyst was a Group 1 winner but I don't think we ever saw the best of him, which was unfortunate. He was a very special horse. He has had Savaglee in recent times and obviously the Oaks has sold, but he's certainly keen to continue racing horses. That certainly won't change.
“He (Dick) absolutely loves it. So hopefully I can get a fast one for him and we'll just continue to grow from there.”
Savaglee (NZ) | Standing at Mapperley Stud
With Savaglee about to commence his first season at stud, Williams hopes he may eventually have the opportunity to train some of the stallion's progeny.
“It would be nice to get some Savaglee’s in the years to come. It sounds like he's got good support so far and he will get a good book of mares for his first season. He's probably one of the best sons of Savabeel to go to stud.”
The name Dean Williams will be a name to watch into the future, and the affiliation between Rick Williams and Dick Karreman has now built into the next generation. The combination between Rick's son Dean and Karreman may be about to write a new chapter between the families.
