The winds brought an early end to Saturday's Caulfield meeting but there was still enough time for controversy to reign in the second race of the day.
WILLIAMS PUTS HAND UP ON CHARLEVOIX DISASTER
Many punters weren't happy with Craig Williams after he went down on the well-backed Charlevoix but to his credit, the jockey was candid about the ride when interviewed after his win on the Darren Weir-trained Shamport.
Charlevoix was backed from $4.20 to $3.60 but was held up all the way down the straight before finishing fifth to the odds-on favourite Kiwia in the VOBIS Gold Stayers (2400m).
Williams won the VOBIS Gold Ingot aboard Shamport 35 minutes later but the jockey empathised with Charlevoix's backers after that success.
"I'm pretty sure if people followed and supported Charlevoix, that unless they followed me then I'm still in their bad books," Williams said after Shamport's victory.
"I'm as disappointed as everyone is. The horse should have won, I felt.
"But unfortunately, we had bad luck today. I thought I used up all my bad luck for the whole year in that race, and luckily I got some good luck with this nice and exciting horse."
Sadly, the honesty can't send the money back into the accounts of Charlevoix's backers and yes, I'm talking through my pocket.
Which leads me to put my own hand up about an incorrect statement in my top bets column after I wrote, "Charlevoix will have no excuses if he is beaten on Saturday in the VOBIS Gold Stayers".
How wrong one can be.
MERTENS HAPPY DESPITE PREMIERSHIP DEFEAT
Apprentice Beau Mertens has plenty of cause for optimism next season after his second to Williams in the Melbourne jockeys' premiership.
Mertens led the title race for a significant part of the season before Williams wore him down over the last month of the campaign to win the premiership by four wins.
However, Mertens said his performance of riding 73 city winners, losing in his claim in the process, exceeded his pre-season expectations.
"I set myself the goal to win the apprentices' metro premiership and ride 100 winners for the season," Mertens said.
"If you sat down this time last season, I wouldn't have expected to be in this position now.
"It gives me a lot of confidence. Riding 73 winners for the season puts me in a good mindset next season to do my best again even without a claim."
Mertens will get away from racing before a short break before returning to complete the required paperwork to become a senior rider next season.
BRUNTON A CHANCE TO MAKE TASMANIAN HISTORY SUNDAY
Young trainer Scott Brunton will send eight horses to Sunday's Devonport Tapeta meeting in a bid to become the first to train 100 winners in Tasmania in a season.
Brunton needs four winners to achieve the milestone but he has done the job at a good clip with the 96 winners coming from 435 runners at a strike rate of 22.1 percent.
The weather cost Brunton an opportunity to get closer to the ton after last Sunday's Hobart meeting was abandoned after two races but he has runners in six races at Devonport.
Brunton wrapped up the Tasmanian trainers' premiership weeks ago and holds a 54-win lead over his nearest rival John Blacker.
Brunton's main rider David Pires has won the Tasmanian jockeys' premiership with an unassailable 26-win lead over Sigrid Carr.
Pires has ridden 78 winners from 297 rides is Tasmania this season at a strike rate of 26.3 percent.
