Lloyd Williams' prominence in Australia's feature staying races was once again highlighted when eight-year-old gelding Foundry claimed victory in the Group I The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Williams, a five-time Melbourne Cup-winning owner who operates with trainer Robert Hickmott at Macedon Lodge in Victoria, produced Foundry ($10) third-up to annex the $750,000 contest for the second time in five years following Seville's 2013 triumph.
Foundry was ridden by Melbourne-based hoop Michael Dee, who captured the first Group I of his fledgling career after the son of Galileo defeated the Darren Weir-trained Big Duke ($5) by half a length. Stephen Marsh's Chocante ($21) was beaten a further 1-1/4 lengths in third.
"I'm speechless, I've never ridden a winner at this track, I've been up here a few times now. To win a Group I, I just couldn't be happier," Dee said.
"To Lloyd Williams and the team at Macedon Lodge, thank you very much for having me on.
"The horse is a beauty, he's just lovely to ride, they brought him here in tip-top shape and he ran accordingly.
"He jumped really well and got there quite easily, I didn't have to use up much gas early."
"I got pushed out three-wide on the bend, but luckily I was able to come back and land in the one-one.
"From then on he travelled beautifully throughout, the team said once he got to the 800m to make it a true staying test so I let him stride and to the horse's credit, he toughed it right out."
Amazingly, it was just the second win for Foundry since the gelding's successful Australian debut at Flemington more than three and a half years ago.
