Moonee Valley hat-trick for Craig Williams

Craig Williams would be unlikely to kick up too much of a sink if 2024 did not end.

The star jockey has enjoyed one of the best months of his decorated career in December and capped it off with a winning treble at Saturday’s final Victorian metropolitan meeting of the season at Moonee Valley.

The 47-year-old made his first trip to the winner’s stall aboard Just For Show in the fourth event, followed up with victory aboard Mytemptation before completing a winning hattrick with Fickle in Race 6.

The Valley treble made it 19 metropolitan wins in December for Williams, who has 37 Victorian city wins for the season and leads Blake Shinn by three in the race for the Victorian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership – a title Williams has already won nine times.

“I’m happy with where I am at physically and mentally, I’ve never been more driven, and I’m really grateful for these opportunities,” Williams said.

“It’s a lovely to ride winners, that’s what we’re here for.”

Williams’ The Valley wins came aboard horses he celebrated metropolitan success aboard at their previous starts.

The Ben, Will & Jd Hayes -trained Just For Show backed up his win in the rich Emerging Stars Final at Ballarat with a last-stride win in the $175,000 VOBIS Gold Carat.

Mytemptation took his record to three wins from as many starts for Enver Jusufovic when he won the $80,000 BM70 over 1200m, while Tom Dabernig’s Fickle also made it three wins on end with an all-the win in the $130,000 fillies and mares BM70 over 1000m.

“You just can’t put a measurement on a horse’s ability when you give them confidence and put them in the right races,” Williams said.

While Williams claimed the day’s riding honours, Shinn did not go without, riding a winning double.

The 2022/23 metro jockeys’ premiership winner partnered two-year-old colt Field Of Play to a dazzling win in Race 2 before scoring an all-the way win aboard Apache Song in the final event.