TEAMS WILLIAMS CHASING A PERTH CUP THREE PEAT

By Graham Potter | Sunday, December 28, 2025

The $1 million Group 2 Perth Cup was not a friend to punters in last year’s edition of the race.

Punters didn’t see Hemlock Stone coming that day and the then five-year-old was completely ignored in the betting on New Year’s Day amidst the holiday cheer, drifting from $61 to $71 to an eventual starting price of $81 … the third longest priced runner in the fifteen strong lineup … but Patrick Carbery and Hemlock Stone shrugged off that indifference and carved out a boilover victory keeping the $4 favourite Diamond Scene back in second place by a 0.63 length margin.

So, there would have been a moment of pause when Hemlock Stone appeared in the nominations for Thursday’s race, but his connections have declined the opportunity to post back-to-back Perth Cup wins. The last time that feat was achieved was back in 1881 and 1982 (by Magistrate), a fact which underlines just how difficult a task that would have been.

But a key factor behind Hemlock Stone’s success remains in play again this time around … namely that of the training partnership of Grant and Alana Williams, who sent Hemlock Stone out to victory last year.

The Williams team certainly knows how to win a Perth Cup, having landed no less than four out of the last six runnings of the event, including the last two editions … and this year they are sending out Buckets Ridge and Simply in the stable’s quest to complete a hat-trick of Perth Cup wins.

Both of these runners have had their moments in the spotlight recently, ironically when racing against each other.

Buckets Ridge is a last start winner, having taken out the Listed G A Towton Cup over 2200m at Ascot on December 6 in a race where Simply finished unplaced, beaten by 3.43 lengths when carrying 2kg less than Buckets Ridge.

Prior to that, Simply was the winner in the listed A J Scahill over 2100m, a race in which Buckets Ridge finished third, coming home only 0.46 lengths behind Simply, who carried 4kg less than Buckets Ridge.

This time around Simply has a favourable 3.5kg pull at the weights with Buckets Ridge in the Perth Cup … but, perhaps the most important point to factor into that equation is the fact that the distance test goes up from 2100m and 2200m of their two previous clashes to the 2400m of the Perth Cup, meaning who stays best might trump any weigh differential.

Luke Nolen is a notable booking to ride Buckets Ridge replacing Billy Eagan who was in the saddle in Bucket Ridge’s last two starts … Nolen seldom makes then trip west … while Fred Kersley, who won on Simply in the A J Scahill and whose family name is entrenched in Western Australian racing folklore, keeps the ride on the son of Domesday.

According to the Perth Cup betting, The Ben, Will and J D Hayes trained Apulia, who won the Group 2 Ted Van Heemst Stakes over 2100m at Ascot on December 20, is the horse to beat.

He is currently quoted at odds of $2.10. Buckets Ridge is on the second line of betting at $8 … and Simply … well, he is all the way out at $26, not quite the $81 long shot option Grant and Alana Willimas had last time … but, just remember, the warning from last year is there.

Any Team Williams trained horse in the Perth Cup is worth a second glance.

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