Lloyd Williams has announced that over the next 18 months he will vacate his Macedon Lodge based racing empire and relocate to the Mornington Peninsula.

The Williams family has more than 1200 acres on the Mornington Peninsula where the family is now based.

Macedon Lodge is a magnificent property; in fact a horse haven built by the late Kurt Stern, a fortune has been spent on it since with stabling for 75 horses, with its ultra modern facilities it would most likely be out of the league of local trainers.

The move is not immediate, it will take time and that may be required as a lot of dollars will be needed.

Damian Browne to ride Earthquake

Damian Browne is the replacement rider for Earthquake in the Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies Saturday, in the absence of Kerrin Mcvoy who is still recovering from a knee injury.

Browne, who hails from Brisbane, is no stranger riding for Darley; he also rides Carillo in the Autumn Stakes and Mohave, in the Blue Diamond Prelude for colts and geldings, for the leading stable.

Diamond Fancies draw Poorly

Chivalry has drawn barrier 16, and Nostradamus 18, for the Blue Diamond Prelude, any chance they had is now sadly depleted from those wide gates.

The favorite, Rubick, has fared much better in 2 and is sure to shorten further after a favorable draw.

Numbers wise, the colts and geldings division looks much stronger than the fillies, there is more depth among the males for a change.

A Winner for Jerilderie

Jerilderie, once a thriving racing community, was back in the news on Wednesday when Final Jest, trained by Philip Sweeney, won at Caulfield.

When Ken Sweeney, Philip’s brother, was training there the old town used to buzz, he always had about 40 horses in work and at least three or four good apprentice riders attached to the stable.

Jerilderie will always be recalled by historians the time Ned Kelly held up the local bank in the centre of the township.

The same bank, many years later, was the custodian of the Melbourne Cup trophy won by Russia tucked away in the vault.

Mick Price holds the Aces

Mick Price looks to hold all the aces in the Schweppes Rubiton Stakes with the small field of eight, his two runners, Lankan Rupee and Lion Of Belfort, are vying for favoritism.

Both showed excellent spring form and each is primed to press on for what promises to be a successful autumn.

Lankan Rupee is the preferred favorite over his stable mate, but only by 20 cents, the scales could tilt either way by post time.