TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter – Stuart Williams

Article by Lissa Oliver

“A conjurer of a trainer. One who can transform an apparently moderate animal into a frequent winner.” Thus quoted Timeform, and we can only concur as we award our TopSpec Trainer of the Quarter to Newmarket-based Stuart Williams for a truly remarkable upgrade of the Godolphin cast-off, Quinault.

Joining Williams from Charlie Appleby in February this year, the three-year-old gelding had only one previous run to his name, when finishing last in a 2022 novice race. Quinault’s first run for Williams saw him place third and earn an official rating of 47. His record for 2023 now reads an impressive seven wins from 10 starts to date, including a straight run of six wins in handicap company, which took him to the brink of an historic record, hardly disappointing when breaking the run with a third in the Shergar Cup Sprint at Ascot. However, it was back at Ascot that Quinault did manage his seventh win in the bet365 Handicap in September, taking his official rating to 97.

“I’m pleased to say he has come out of the race in good form. He’s a very tough horse, and he’s got loads of talent as well,” says Williams, singling out apprentice jockey Luke Catton as instrumental in his development. “Luke has done a fantastic job settling him. The horse was just a runaway when he arrived—he would just bolt. 

“We trained him on a treadmill for the first two months—so he never left the yard—before we slowly started to introduce him to Newmarket Heath. There’s a lot of work gone into him. 

"He’s always had talent; it’s just been a case of letting the horse know it and letting him use it. He’s always been fast, and he’s bred to get further; so as long as we can keep him settled in his races, that’s a route we’ll look to go with him. He's fairly straightforward to ride—he just jumps and goes.”

Williams, who took out his licence in 1993, is based on Hamilton Road in Newmarket, conveniently backing onto the racecourse side training grounds. Diomed Stables has 72 boxes, including 60 newly refurbished American barn-style boxes with climate control and six grass turnout paddocks. Williams also has a sand ride for light exercise of his horses, as well as an equine solarium.

He is a great believer in the benefits of swimming, and his horses use the nearby equine swimming pool on a regular basis to help improve fitness without putting excessive strain on their legs.

Williams has been involved in racing since he was a child—his father having been a jockey, and in his formative years worked for Bill O’Gorman, Ron Sheather and Alex Scott, as well as Bart Cummings in Australia. He also spent time working in France and Norway before taking out his own licence. In 2011, he received what he acknowledges as ‘the highest recognition’ from his peers when he was voted president of the National Trainers Federation.

Williams feels it might now be time to step Quinault up to stakes company after his latest win; and the once 47 to now 97 rated gelding certainly gives the impression there’s plenty more to come.