Lloyd Williams Rundle

Racing & Sports

Friday, 23 April 2010: Anzac Day is about reflection but at Flemington on Sunday owner Lloyd Williams will be looking to the future with his four runners.

In the feature race, the Listed VRC St Leger, Williams will test emerging stayer Rundle over the 2800m in what is likely to be a screen test for the Melbourne Cup later in the year.

The Robert Hickmott-trained gelding is one of two dozen sons of Galileo Williams has invested in, hoping to land another Melbourne Cup.

Rundle has raced only four times and after finishing a close-up seventh on debut has been unbeaten since, including a soft 2500m win at Flemington last time.

Rundle has been posted at odds-on to make it four wins on end but for Williams success will be determined not by winning but how he runs out the 2800m journey for the first time.

In the following race, though, Williams will kick off the Australian campaigns of imports Grand Ducal, Muir and Martial Law.

The trio of former UK gallopers will find the 1200m straight dash of the Kokodas Track Handicap totally unsuitably, according to Williams, with longer races in the spring as their primary concerns.

Grand Ducal does have a good fresh record and is a winner in that state over 1500m and is Group 2 placed at 1400m.

All three of Muir's wins have been over 2000m while Martial Law did win his frst race at a mile but his most recent success was over 2982m in France.

Earlier this week another Williams import Stillman made his Australian debut at Betfair Park and ran well to finish runner-up over 1400m and a few more will emerge over the next fortnight.

Williams said all the imports would have just one or two runs before being turned out again and aimed at the spring.

Williams has almost a dozen imports and a myriad of Galileo gallopers on his books in his quest for this year's 150th running of the Melbourne Cup.

NB. Rundle was scratched from this race. Efficiency won it.