Williams was in charge of Gollan’s team at Doomben while the trainer was with Most Important at Caulfield in Melbourne.
Frespanol ($5.50) returned to some of the form he showed earlier in his career in Sydney when he beat stablemate Charlie Boy ($4) by 1-1/4 lengths in the Brisbane BMW Handicap.
In a twist Gollan was also away for Frespanol’s last win at the Sunshine Coast in November.
But Williams has a close association with the gelding, having been with him in a float which tipped down an embankment on the way to a Sunshine Coast meeting in April last year.
Williams and the other staff received widespread praise for ensuring the four horses in the float – Frespanol, Whiskey Allround, Casual Choice and Jetsonic – all escaped serious injury.
Witnesses to the accident said it was a miracle no one was killed after the float veered off the Bruce Highway and slid on its side down an 8m embankment.
“Frespanol has been a favourite of mine since I was in the float with him when it went down the embankment,” she said.
“He has a new set of owners and they are thrilled with the win so it has been a good day.”
Frespanol was having his first start in a month but had won a Doomben barrier trial two weeks ago.
It completed a winning double for Gollan and jockey Robbie Fradd after they earlier combined with three-year-old Umberto.
They also had a second with Jetsonic who rattled home late to be second behind Sweet Repeat ($51) who won the Big Chop Handicap.
Sweet Repeat’s win was the second leg of a double for apprentice Ruby Ride who is on the comeback trail after a series of injuries.
Apprentice Jag Guthmann-Chester rode his first Saturday metropolitan win and his fourth city victory overall when Stanley ($4) won a benchmark 75 race over 2200m.
“I have ridden three midweek city winners so it is good to get on the board on a Saturday,” Guthmann-Chester said.
It has also been a good start to the season for Stanley’s trainer Michael Costa who also owns a third of the gelding.
“I have won seven races with my past 10 runners,” said Costa, who also won the first race at the Gold Coast with Malkara.
Credit: AAP